Counted
by Royal Flush Short A King
Summary: A ninja's days are counted, but a civilian counts their blessings. That is, perhaps, a lesson she will have to learn. Kakashi/OC
1. 9580

_**Some **__**of **__**y**__**'**__**all**__** (**__**not **__**all **__**of **__**you **__**of **__**course**__**) **__**might **__**recognize **__**this **__**character**__**. **__**I **__**did **__**not **__**steal **__**her **__**I **__**promise**__**, **__**I **__**wrote **__**a **__**little **__**one**__**-**__**shot **__**with **__**this **__**character **__**some **__**months **__**ago **__**and **__**then **__**deleted **__**it**__**. **__**I **__**am **__**going **__**to **__**do **__**a **__**little **__**more **__**with **__**this **__**character**__**. **__**Fun **__**fun**__**.**_ _**This **__**is **__**set **__**a **__**couple **__**weeks **__**before **__**the **__**Chuunin **__**exams**__**.**_

**_Day 9580_**

Nagasaki Ume, despite being blonde-haired, blue-eyed and a little clueless at times, was a genius in her own right. No, she didn't possess any particular blood line traits or any special family jutsus. Her family was deliciously middle-class with more than a liberal sprinkling of civilians. Her paternal grandfather was a mediocre ninja and one of her uncles had been a fairly successful ANBU interrogator until he was killed in battle, but her father worked unloading cargo for a grocer and her mother worked at home as a seamstress.

But because of this, Ume was a fast learner and she knew what it meant to work for work's sake, not for honor, not because she needed to prove something to her family or her contemporaries; but just 'cause, because man was not meant to be idle and because it would be a shame to see talent go to waste.

And she was talented.

Besides possessing a natural aptitude for leadership, she was a veritable encyclopedia on all things sharp and pointy and had the steady hand to back up that particular obsession. Standing at a little over five and a half feet, her arms were long and strong, lending themselves well to taijutsu. On the other hand, she lacked the patience to pull off a decent genjutsu, though she had instinct aplenty to detect them.

She had graduated at the top of her class three years younger than most of her peers, became a Chuunin a year later and a Jounin by the age of fourteen. Two years later she was recommended for service in the ANBU Black Ops by the Hokage, for a ninja from a thoroughly civilian family, with no special abilities other than work ethic and guts, this was quite the accomplishment.

She was smart, she was strong, and she was genuinely friendly. She thrived on the company of her friends, loved them dearly and fiercely. If worst came to worst, Ume was the one you depended on.

Which is perhaps what got her in this predicament.

"Look, I'm not in this." Ume, hands held high in surrender, backed away from Kurenai and Anko, who were arguing over what, she couldn't remember, but she wasn't going to get involved. In the face of her surrender, they turned from her and continued arguing. Shaking her head, she turned and smiled at the man sitting slouched, arms crossed, on the bench in front of the dumpling shop.

"Oh look who it is! Wonder-boy, whatever are you doing here fraternizing with us lesser mortals?" She let out a little giggle and sashayed over to the bench, shooting him coy looks out from underneath her eyelashes. She threw herself onto the bench and scooted in close to him, ignoring the little huff he made in the back of his throat and laying her head against his shoulder.

"I've told you not to call me that."

She waved the statement away with a negligent hand. "Yeah, yeah. More times than I can count."

His head tilted slightly the side, his grey eye smiling down on her. "Then why do you do it?"

She lifted her head off of his shoulder and smiled at him, her blue eyes and that little stud in her nose twinkling with a bubbling of mirth he was so familiar with, he could probably recreate it in his dreams. "Because it annoys you of course."

"SEE!" Both ninja looked up abruptly as Kurenai pointed a shaking finger at them. "_**Everyone**_ knows that they've been fucking for _**years**_ and nobody says anything about it. Nobody makes snide remarks about _**their**_ personal life, nobody asks if _**they**__**'**__**re**_ going on a date. But if I so much as sneeze, well that _**must**_ mean that Asuma and I are going to get married and have ten babies!"

There was a pregnant pause in which Ume blushed and Kakashi went absolutely still, neither really sure how they had gotten dragged into this.

Anko shrugged. "They're unapologetic. What fun is it to tease people who don't care if you know about their personal life? _**Everyone**_ knows that Ume and Kakashi have been screwing each others' brains out for years, because, other than common discretion, they haven't tried to hide it. You see them walking around together and try to tease them about it, they look at you like you're an idiot. You, on the other hand, blush like a lovelorn virgin and Asuma tries to avoid the subject. You get it?" Kurenai seethed and Anko grinned. " 'Sides, I don't really expect them to ever get married. They just really aren't the domestic types, ne?"

Kurenai let loose a vile curse then stomped away.

Ume pouted at Anko. "I'm domestic..."

Kakashi snorted. "You can't even boil water."

Ume shrugged. "Neither can you."

Anko shook her head. "The fact that neither of you denied your _relationship_ only further emphasizes my point."

Kakashi shrugged. "There isn't any point to arguing since _**everyone**_ knows. Keeping secrets only makes people want to go snooping. If you don't bother to hide it, people will loose interest."

"Whatever. I have work to do see you later." Anko sauntered off leaving the two light haired ninja alone.

"Nagasaki-taichou." The ANBU dropped into a crouch slightly behind and to the right of the bench, head bowed and porcelain animal mask firmly in place.

"I'll be there." Ume sighed and rose to her feet. She smiled wryly. "Duty calls." She made to turn and leave, but Kakashi caught her wrist.

"See you tonight?"

Ume shrugged, smirking down at him. "Depends what the deal is. We'll see..." She leaned over and kissed him lightly through his mask. "If the world isn't ending and they don't send me out to save puppies or somethin', I'll be there"

He chuckled and whispered against his lips. "I'll wait up. My place or yours?" It was an stupid question, they both already knew the answer.

"Mine, if it takes awhile I'm gonna want to change clothes at least."

True, of course, but not really. She would have to change clothes regardless of the reason she was being called. It wasn't particularly in line with ANBU regulations to show up at your lover, or friend-with-benefit's, as the case was, apartment in uniform. If Kakashi wasn't ex-ANBU, the messenger wouldn't have summoned her in his sight to begin with. He wasn't technically supposed to know.

Kakashi shrugged. "You won't be wearing them long, so I don't see why it matters." Best to keep up the appearance anyways.

Ume laughed outright. 'Down boy, I'll see you later."

"You will."

Ume laughed again and then after a quick succession of hand signs, body flickered away. She arrived at her apartment quickly and after unlocking the door and re-locking them behind her, she moved to the middle of her living room and rolled the rug back.

Another quick succession of hand signs and she released the seal on the floor underneath her. Without pausing, she lifted up some of the floor boards and reached inside the compartment found there. Grunting lightly, she pulled a heavy chest out of the floor, released the seal on the chest and then unlocked the chest. She reached in and pulled out her ANBU armor and weaponry and set it on the floor before locking the box once more and placing it back under the floorboards.

After sealing the entrance once more and smoothing the rug back,She stripped out of her standard navy blue uniform and dressed with practiced ease, slipping her sleeveless black shirt over her head and black pants over her hips and strapping on her tall shin guards and black sandals.

Long black gloves were secured mid-bicep by hidden garters than covered by silver forearm guards, weapons packs were checked, double checked and then secured to her waist and leg. She strapped on her chest plate and fixed her katana to her back. She reached up and removed her hitai-ate, folded it and tucked it into her chest plate, before securing her white cloak around her shoulders.

She pulled her white hood over her head and fixed her Weasel mask over her face then left with another quick series of hand signals.

* * *

><p>Dropping silently behind the other ANBU squad leaders, Ume rose and faced the Hokage.<p>

The group waited in silence for a few more captains to arrive and then the Hokage spoke, "The bi-annual Chuunin exams have been scheduled for a few weeks from now. As you know, however honored we are to be hosting them this year, the hosting nation is always in an uniquely vulnerable position. In addition, we have received some intel that has led us to believe that this years competition may be more eventful than what is norm.

"This intel is shaky at best and rather vague, but fortune favors the prepared, so we are going to place twice the usual number of four-man squads on Exam duty. In addition two of our own and a Tokubetsu Jounin will be replacing the normal Jounin Proctors. Keep your guard and be constantly vigilant. If you see or hear of anything suspicious, be sure to report it to me directly."

He paused and looked down at the stack of papers in his hands. "Bird, Boar, Cat, Weasel, Snake, Bull, Ox, Fish, Fox and Tiger, step forward."

The ten captains stepped forward silently and the Hokage nodded. "You ten will lead the Exam duty teams. Snake and Bull: your teams will cover all possible entrances into the village. The identity of every foreign genin will need to be checked against our records and intelligence reports. Likewise,Ox and Fish, you will check the identities of any foreign chuunin or jounin. Fox and Tiger, you will be responsible for foreign dignitaries and Kage.

"Bird, Boar, Cat and Weasel: You will be responsible for surveillance of the actual exam rounds. You are to remain unseen and unnoticed unless absolutely necessary and are not to interfere in any fight unless I give you a direct order.

"Bird, you will watch the first round, Boar and Cat the second. Weasel, as our most experienced squad leader, you will preside over the third. In the event that an actual threat is acknowledged, all five surveillance squads are to report to the arena for duty under Weasel's command, unless otherwise directed."

"Do you understand the assignment?" The room remained silent, the curt nods of porcelain masks the only sign that the ninja had heard at all.

"Good you may leave. Teams will be picked upon assessment of squad needs. Weasel, a word."

Ume kept quiet and knelt at the Hokage's feet.

"You will be my personal guard until the end of the exam period and you will report to my office tomorrow morning in your Jounin uniform in order to help me pick teams. Understood?"

Ume nodded and then spoke for the first time in the last hour. "Permission to speak, my Lord Hokage."

He looked amused. "Granted."

"If a legitimate threat were to be identified, may I suggest that Cat and his team take over your guard during the third round of the exam."

His brow shot up. "Why, if I may ask?"

"I am honored that you would choose me to be your guard, but Cat is better at barrier jutsu and genjutsu. In the case that a serious threat was ever posed, you would be most vulnerable during that round, where you will be seated in one specific spot for a long period of time. Cat would then be able to respond and get you out of the arena or at least create a barrier around you to keep you safe and I would be better able to lead the two remaining squads as well as my own."

He nodded. "Granted. You will remain my personal guard for the time being, until such a time as when you deem fit to elect Cat as your replacement." He laid a hand on her head, with a kind smile. "See you in the morning, Weasel."

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

* * *

><p>Ume was beaming under her mask when she returned home. She saw Kakashi's sandals by the door and assumed that he was waiting for her in her bedroom. She quickly slipped out of her ANBU uniform and stashed it in her locked and sealed trunk under the floorboards. After the hiding place was sealed and hidden once more, she slipped into her standard issue navy shirt and pants, not bothering with her flack vest, utility bags and sandals.<p>

She opened the door of her bedroom and grinned at Kakashi, who was laid out on her bed, sans shirt, mask and forehead protector, reading his book.

Her grin widened. "Honey, I'm home."

He grinned back, his quiet unencumbered smile, showed off a row of white teeth and was so much more impressive than his one-eyed squint smile. "I see that. Is the world ending? I see you didn't have any puppies to save."

She shook her head, they both knew she couldn't say anything about the meeting, and walked over to the bed. Sitting on the bed, she stole his book and laid her head back on his stomach. glancing over the current page, she blushed. "Don't get any ideas. I don't know if I can bend that way, Kakashi."

"We will have to see."


	2. 9601

_**I **__**actually **__**got **__**this **__**done **__**very **__**fast**__**! **__**I**__**'**__**m **__**proud **__**of **__**myself**__**! **__**As **__**always **__**I **__**love **__**reviews**__**, **__**they **__**inspire **__**me **__**to **__**write**__**, **__**so **__**drop **__**me **__**a **__**line**__**, **__**just **__**to **__**let **__**me **__**know **__**that **__**you **__**are **__**reading**__**. **__**Thanks**__**!**_

_**Day**__** 9601**_

Ume sat in the Jounin Standby Station, ear bud in her ear and clipboard in her lap. From the ear bud came a static-y message: "Bird in place."

"Horse in place."

"Bear in place."

One more..."Lion in place."

Ume checked the room silently and pressed the 'push-to-talk' button hidden in her glove. "Weasel listening."

There was a pause and Bird's voice came over the line. "Weasel-taichou, do you have any information to pass on?"

Ume checked the board in her lap, three names were circled in bright red pen. "Every foreign ninja passed the info checks. However, there is a team of Sound ninja entering the exams this year."

A moment's pause and then another crackling response... Bear this time: "Sound? Never heard of them."

Ume chuckled. "I know."

There were brief sounds of understanding from the other side. "Roger. What is their marker?"

"Music note. Very cutesy. Are you in position to hear the exams clearly?"

There was a cacophony of affirmative answers ending with Bird's quiet. "Yes, Weasel-taichou."

"At least one person should have eyes on the Genin at all times. Aside from that, listen for anything suspicious and report it to me. The Genin should be arriving shortly followed by Ibiki and his team. He will need some sign of your presence, but keep in mind that the Genin are not to know you're there: suppress your chakra and mask your scent if at all possible." Ume heard footsteps outside of the door. "I will check-in with you every fifteen minutes, if you do not answer the check-in call, assume you are dead. Got it?"

The was a chorus of yes ma'am's.

"Good, in order to keep the noise down, I will not verbally respond to you until check-in. The click of the 'push-to-talk' will signal that I heard you. Remember that you shouldn't speak unless you have something to report."

A pause then an unanimous: "Roger."

The door opened and closed.

"You're just chilling here by yourself, Brat?"

The smell of cigarettes would have tipped her off, if the nickname hadn't. "I'm doing paperwork like a real adult, Jerk."

Asuma settled into the seat across from her, the one conveniently close to the ashtray. "And here I thought that you special agent types didn't have to do paperwork like us poor peons."

She smiled. "Nope, we have more paperwork than you poor peons."

Asuma made as if to answer, but focused at some point over head. As she turned to look over her shoulder, the door opened and closed and she rolled her eyes. She brought her hand over her mouth and threw her voice: "Calling Lover-boy, come in. World of the Living, Calling Lover-boy. Can you hear me?"

He glared at her and the whispered around his cigarette. "Shut it, brat."

"Welcome back, Jerk. That dumb grin of yours was starting to worry me." Ume shot him a smug smirk before turning over her shoulder to greet Kurenai. "Hullo!"

Kurenai eyed her bright smile with a small amount of suspicion, but answered just as cheerfully. "Hi, Ume." She turned to Asuma and smiled with a tad more sex appeal than was necessary, strictly speaking. "Hello, Asuma."

Asuma smiled up at her and took his cigarette out of his mouth. "Hey." He was still smiling at her when he noticed Ume making kissy faces at him. His smile fell abruptly and Kurenai looked over at her. Ume just smiled blithely back and Kurenai frowned, sitting next to Asuma.

As Asuma and Kurenai began to talk, a whisper came over her ear bud. "Weasel?" She clicked the push-to-talk button. "The Sound ninja are two males and a female, approximately 14-16 years of age. One of them uses some sort of air based attack. It's hard to explain, but the boy with the wrapped face has some sort of apparatus attached to his forearm that manipulates air. He had a brief tiff with one of the Leaf Genin and, although the Leaf ninja dodged it with time to spare, the attack brought him to his knees."

She kept her face neutral and began to write the information down.

"Wait. It manipulates sound, it attacks the eardrum of his opponent, that has to be it. Outstanding. Where the hell did he get that?"

She signaled her response and edited the information on the clipboard.

"Ume!" She looked up and saw Kakashi sitting next to her.

"Yes?"

He looked at her shrewdly. "What are you doing?"

She shrugged. "You know, paperwork." But Kakashi knew better, ANBU members didn't do paperwork, any and all mission reports were given to the Hokage, and only the Hokage, verbally, never written down.

"Behind?" He let it drop.

She smiled at him. "A little. You know me. Paperwork, is definitely not my favorite."

He gave her a look that said he suspected something. Then again he had been suspecting things for the past two weeks. As an ex-ANBU and partner of an active ANBU captain, he was well aware that it was exceptionally odd for any ANBU, let alone a squad leader, to be off-duty for more than a few days. She hadn't had a mission for two weeks and that nearly impossible barring two reasons: she was on medical leave or she was already on a mission.

He had intimate knowledge as to the health of her body, so that left one reason.

The group quieted down again, Asuma, Kurenai and Kakashi, discussing their students. Ume mostly just watched them converse while waiting for any information from the field agents.

After about fifteen minutes, Ume looked up at the clock.

Standing, she tucked clipboard under her arm. "Tea anyone?" Asuma and Kurenai shook their head no, but Kakashi indicated that he would like some. "Be right back."

As she walked away, a soft chuckle came on over the ear bud. "Ibiki just called them baby-faced degenerates."

Ume chuckled and pushed the push to talk button. "Score one, Ibiki." Walking over to the tea pot on the far side of the room, she held the teapot in such a way as to push the button while she poured. "How is everyone holding up?"

"Bear here. Nothing to report."

"This is Horse. All is clear."

"Bird reporting. All is fine. Nothing unusual."

"Lion here. Bored as hell."

Ume shook her head and pushed the button once more. "Focus Lion. Anyways, break time is over. Talk to you at the next check-in."

"Roger."

* * *

><p>As soon as she was out of earshot, Asuma turned to Kakashi. "What is she hiding?"<p>

Kakashi shrugged and leaned back. "She not allowed to tell me and I don't ask."

Asuma blew out at stream of smoke. "You mean to tell me that when she goes off on some mission, she doesn't tell you what she'll be doing?"

Kakashi shook his head. "No. The kind of missions she goes on are disclosed on a need to know basis. If I needed to know, I'd know. That the way it works."

Asuma frowned. "I couldn't deal with the not knowing. Hell I don't like what she does and I don't even know the full extent of it."

"Full extent of what?" Ume passed one of the cups in her hand to Kakashi and sat down beside him.

Kakashi looked over at her and from this angle, she was sure he could see her ear bud. "Asuma was just commenting on the type of work you do."

Ume made a face. "Let's not start this again, _Dad_. It's what I'm good at and I like it."

Asuma pulled his cigarette from his lips. "You are good a lot of things, that doesn't mean that you have to put your life in constant danger."

Ume chuckled. "We're ninja, that's what we do. A safe ninja is a dead ninja."

Asuma frowned and took a long drag on his cigarette. "You know damn well that ANBU missions are ten times more dangerous than even the normal elite Jounin's mission. That is the point I am making."

Kurenai's eyes widened. "You're ANBU?"

Ume glared at Asuma and ignored Kurenai. "Yeah, so what? That's the point you've been making for the past ten years. Guess what? Still hasn't changed my mind. Mostly likely won't."

Seeing that he wasn't getting anywhere, Asuma turned to Kakashi. "Say something why don't you?"

Kakashi looked confused. "Like what?"

"Like how you don't want her-"

Ume waved her hands in front of her chest. "Whoa, whoa, what makes you think he can stop me, even if he wanted to?"

Asuma glared at her. "You two are in a relationship, I'm sure he has some sway over your decisions."

Ume and Kakashi looked at each other briefly before Ume chuckled and Kakashi answered. "The word 'relationship' is relative, besides, she's a big girl, she can make her own decisions."

Asuma rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

Ume stuck her tongue out at him over the rim of her steaming tea-cup.

Asuma stuck his tongue out too. "You're a child."

Ume crossed her eyes at him. "You're a bully."

Kurenai, who had watched the entire exchange with a raised eyebrow. "Are they always like this?"

Kakashi nodded. "I guess you haven't been around the both of them together often enough to see them like this, but yeah. They were worse when they were younger."

Kurenai just watched them with a slight smirk. "I don't really remember it but I'll take your word for it."

Eventually Asuma and Ume stopped bickering like children and the flow of the conversation returned to normal. Every fifteen minutes, Ume would get up to get tea or go to the bathroom in order to check-in with the team.

With fifteen minutes till the end of the first round, Ume came back to find the sensei discussing their students.

Asuma tapped the excess ash off of his cigarette. "I heard that their first examiner this year is Ibiki."

Kakashi, looking pensive, leaned back as Ume sat down next to him, putting his fresh cup of tea in between them. "Great... Sticking them with that sadist right off the bat."

"Huh? What sadist?" Kurenai looked confused.

Ume chuckled. "I like Ibiki, I think he's funny."

Kakashi scoffed. "That's because he leaves you alone. He likes you."

Ume shook her head. "He leaves me alone because I'm not interesting. Too simple or something."

Asuma laughed. "Dumb more like." Ume stuck her tongue out at him.

Kurenai looked a little put-off that no one was listening. "What sadist?"

Asuma chuckled. "I forgot that you're a new Jounin, Kurenai. Otherwise, you wouldn't have to ask that."

She shrugged. "So I'm ignorant. Who is he?"

Kakashi answered, "He's what you might call a specialist."

Kurenai's eyes widened a little bit. "Oh yeah, in what?"

Ume giggled slightly as Asuma took a deep, dramatic hit on his cigarette. Taking it out of his mouth, he answered, "Interrogation.. Torture." At Kurenai's gasp, he continued. "Of course, he won't be using physical torture during the test, he won't need to. That's not really his thing anyway. He works on people's minds, not their bodies. He's famous for it. Everyone knows about the head of the ANBU Torture and Interrogation Corps for the Hidden Leaf Village, Ibiki Morino."

Kurenai looked disgusted and turned toward Ume. "And you like this guy? Sounds like a real freak show."

"Like I said he's funny."

Asuma wasn't finished. "You see, this guy, Ibiki, he's a master of interrogation because he understands how the human mind works. He knows just were to probe to uncover your weaknesses. The thing is, he's so good at his job, he doesn't use physical torture, he doesn't need to. He just messes up your head so bad, you torture yourself."

"I still say he sounds psycho."

Ume shrugged. "He's on our side regardless."

Kakashi sat up straight and looked at her. "You knew all about this, didn't you?"

Ume looked shifty. "No."

Kakashi laughed. "Yes you did! I remember you telling me that you were looking forward to working with Ibiki again. I never thought that Ibiki would be the first proctor."

Kurenai leaned forward. "Do you know what they're doing?"

Ume shook her head. "No idea, only that Ibiki was the proctor and that he requested the use of twenty Chuunin from the Torture and Interrogation Corps to be his proctor assistants."

"Twenty?" Asuma shook his head. "I wonder what he is doing to them. Do you know who the next proctor is?"

Ume smiled. "One of my favorite people in the world: Anko."

Kurenai shook her head. "Let me guess, you think she's funny too?"

"Yep."

Kakashi chuckled lightly. "The more you get to know her, Kurenai, the more you realize that she, in fact, likes everyone."


	3. 9602

_**So **__**I **__**didn**__**'**__**t **__**get **__**any **__**reviews **__**last **__**chapter**__**... **__**So **__**I **__**will **__**now **__**beg**__**: **__**PLEASE **__**review**__**! **__**I **__**don**__**'**__**t **__**know **__**what **__**you **__**think **__**about **__**the **__**story **__**if **__**you **__**don**__**'**__**t **__**tell **__**me**__**. **__**I **__**am **__**always **__**open **__**to **__**constructive **__**criticism **__**and **__**love **__**to **__**hear **__**what **__**y**__**'**__**all **__**think **__**about **__**Ume **__**and **__**her **__**relationship **__**with **__**Kakashi**__**! **__**So **__**please **__**review**__**!**_

_**Day**__** 9602**_

Day was still hours from breaking when Ume showed up at the Forest of Death. She did a quick check of all the locks and then popped up on to the desk of the first proctor station to wait for her two teams to show. Ten minutes later both ANBU teams, in full uniform, stood before her.

Ume, who had been directed to forgo her own ANBU uniform stood and leaned up against the desk, looking at the eight ANBU ninjas surrounding her, she smiled. "Ok, here we go. I don't need to go over why we are here as we were all Genin at one time. But there are a couple of ground rules. First off, we will be patrolling the outside perimeter of the forest only. As this is a survival test and there hasn't been any sign of trouble yet, the Hokage doesn't see the need to break with the long-standing tradition of letting the kiddies play by themselves. In short we will be keeping the perimeter of the forest secure. No one goes in or out but proctors.

"Second, I don't care how you break up the patrol but there needs to be one squad on the perimeter and one on standby at all times. Because of the duration of the exam, the stand-by unit may sleep as long as they are close by and there is some kind of sentry set up to listen for distress calls. Third, in the case that for some reason you do end up inside the Forest, do not make any contact with the Genin, they should never know that you were here.

"Every every hour on the half-hour, the on-duty squad leader will lead a check in for the perimeter unit. If someone fails to check in, we assume they are dead and the stand-by unit is called in to find them. Do not miss a check-in, you will end up making someone very angry. I will check-in with you every hour on the hour, both squads. If you miss this check-in, I come and find you and I won't pretend to be nice about it. Make sure that the proctor, Anko Mitarashi, knows you are here. I will be listening if you have anything to report." Ume smiled again. "Any questions."

There was silence.

"Excellent! Keep your guard and be very observant. This is the hardest section of the exam to watch. On top of that if we do have enemies in this batch of Chuunin candidates, what better time to do mischief then when you have a five day window with no one watching?" Ume waved them away. "Good luck, keep safe." They left without a word.

She looked up into the forest briefly and then made as if to leave. as she passed on of the many trees surrounding the training ground she threw a set of senbon into the branches and stopped beneath the tree.

"Come out, Kakashi."

Kakashi dropped out of the tree and passed her senbon back to her. "I understand now. ANBU is running security for the exams. The only question now is: why?"

She shot him a stern look. "You are not supposed to be here. This area is off-limits to everyone except ANBU and proctors. You know that, Kakashi. If you had been anyone else I would have assumed that you were up to no good and I would have dropped you right there, allies be damned."

He shrugged. "You know I'm not up to anything."

"Lucky you." She put away her kunai and moved away from the Forest of Death, walking back towards Konoha. He fell in step alongside her and she smiled up at him, before eyeing him with playful suspicion. "Why are you here anyways? Going for a walk?"

"Sure, if that's the excuse you want me to use." He shrugged and turned a stern eye down on her. "Your turn. Why is ANBU running security?"

"Well you know that usually the Hokage assigns three or four novice ANBU teams to Exam duty. Normally, they just check the identities of foreign ninja and dignitaries and maybe offer protection during the third portion of the exam, nothing major. This year we have eight teams lead by some of our most experienced captains assigned to watch each event."

Kakashi looked confused. "Eight? Why?"

She shrugged. "We don't really know. The Hokage received some information regarding the Chuunin Exams, before you ask he didn't share it with us and you know I couldn't tell you if he did; however it was vague and not, strictly speaking, reliable. Therefore the Hokage decided to be prepared for anything that might come our way. So far nothing has happened but I have a bad feeling."

Kakashi nodded. "I feel it too."

She sighed heavily and treated him with a tired smile. She hadn't been getting enough sleep recently. "How about breakfast and lots and lots of coffee. I haven't eaten yet and this is going to be a long next five days."

"Sure, lead the way."

* * *

><p>Kakashi sipped lightly at his coffee, watching Ume as she pushed her food around her plate. She was quiet, which by itself was odd and spoke of her preoccupation, and every so often she would look up at him, catch his eye and give a small smile and a shrug.<p>

"What's wrong?"

She looked up sharply as if not expecting him to speak to her. "Nothing's wrong, per say. I'm just tired and I can't shake the feeling that something is going to go wrong today." She shrugged. "I guess that's all."

Kakashi clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and mused. "I have known you for how long, Ume? Twenty-two... maybe twenty-three years? I know you better than your parents. Now what's really wrong?"

She chewed that over briefly before taking a sip of her coffee. Setting it down again, she stared down into it. "Do you ever worry about me?"

Kakashi's head jerked back sharply. If being quiet was odd for Ume, being self-conscious and timid was more so. "What?"

She looked up sheepishly as if she feared that she had offended him or made a fool of herself. "Never mind, don't worry about it."

Kakashi mused over her question slowly, the table going quiet for a good stretch of time. Ume had returned to pushing her food around her plate and sipping hesitantly at her cup.

"I worry about you, usually when you've been gone too long, or you're late." He glanced at her, still trying to understand why she was asking. "But I also know that you are a damn fine ninja, who is more than capable of taking care of herself under every condition that I can think of. Does that answer the question?"

She was still looking down at her coffee but at least she was smiling now. She nodded and caught his eye. "Yeah that answers the question. Sorry about that. I guess I was just feeling a little down."

"Why?"

She looked confused and shrugged. "Asuma has known me as long as you have, but he still, after ten years, doesn't think I can do this. I was just wondering if maybe you guys were seeing something I wasn't. If I had been fooling myself this entire time."

Kakashi shrugged. "You know how Asuma is, though. He makes up his mind about something and that's the way it is. He still sees tiny Miss Ume Nagasaki, who he accidentally knocked down and made cry on her first day at the academy."

She giggled lightly and nodded. "Okay maybe so."

Kakashi sipped at his coffee. "On the other hand, I had that particular image shattered more than a decadeago. It's hard to image you as a bawling child when I have seen you break through enemy ranks like they were wet paper." He looked up, caught her eye and held it. "You may not be most aggressive ninja under normal circumstances, but there's definitely a reason why the Hokage put in you in charge of this mission and it isn't because he doesn't think you can do the job."

She shrugged. "I guess I just feel soft sometimes. I mean, compared to Ibiki and-"

Kakashi cut her off. "You are soft."

She looked down. "Yeah I guess."

"But you have always been more compassionate than most of the other ANBU. It's your compassion that makes you a good leader and an asset for the village. Besides I don't particularly like Ibiki, so I would prefer if you are never like him... ever."

Over her ear piece, she could hear the first perimeter check of the day. She grew quiet and waited until she heard all four members of the perimeter squad check in. Breathing a sigh of relief, she looked at him and smiled. "Thanks Kashi."

He nodded and ordered more coffee.

* * *

><p>It had been a mostly uneventful day, the first day of the second phase of the exams passing quietly with little to report. Once or twice, members of the perimeter squad had confessed to feeling antsy, anxious, feeling as if something bad was going to happen at any moment, but aside from intuition and instinct there was nothing spectacular. going on<p>

By lunch time, she had cleaned her apartment, done laundry and was well on the way towards bored. She was just taking the last few articles of clothing off of the line when there was a knock on her door. Folding the last shirt she placed it on top of her stack and walked to the door.

Looking through the peep-hole, she smiled. Opening the door, she smiled and invited Asuma and Kakashi in. "How can I help you lovely gents?"

Asuma snuffed out his cigarette before entering the apartment. "Smells clean in here."

Ume shrugged. "Unfortunately it's gonna smell a lot like cigarettes now. Gee thanks."

Asuma smirked down at her. "I do my best."

Ume smiled. "Tea?"

Kakashi shook his head. "We're here to collect you for lunch. We're all a little bored without the brats running around. You up for it?"

Ume nodded. "Sure. Where are we going?"

* * *

><p>Asuma was grilling up the last plate of short ribs when Ume, who had long since eaten her fill, remembered something. "How often do you come here, Asuma?"<p>

He shrugged, flipping the meat with practiced ease. "Three or four times a week. It is my preferred method of coercion. If I can get Choji motivated, Shikamaru interested and Ino focused, I can normally get things done."

Ume nodded. "Makes sense. Kakashi I assume you use goading to get the Uchiha and Uzumaki going?"

Kakashi nodded. "More or less. I don't normally have to do much, they pretty much motivate themselves. Why?"

Ume shrugged. "I was just thinking about how different everyone's teaching styles were and what I'd do if I were to ever become a Jounin sensei."

Kurenai sipped at her drink. "What would you do?"

With a bright smile, Ume proclaimed: "I would treat my students the same way my Jounin sensei treated me and my team."

Kakashi chuckled. "Your Jounin sensei was out of his mind."

Ume frowned and Asuma laughed. "Then it should suit you just fine, squirt."

Sticking her tongue out at Asuma, she emphatically defended her teacher. "Saitou-sensei was awesome, eccentric maybe, but awesome."

Kakashi shook his head. "He was senile and far too old to still be teaching kids."

Kurenai smiled. "What did he do?"

Kakashi made as if to speak and Ume cut him off. "He taught us to always be prepared and-"

Kakashi cut her off. "He liked to jump out of hiding spots at random times during the day, screaming: 'constant vigilance' and throwing weapons at his students."

Kurenai made a face. "What?"

Ume crossed her arms over her Jounin vest. "Saitou-sensei was teaching us to be aware of our surroundings and he'd only throw stuff at you if you didn't notice him _before _he came out of hiding."

Asuma popped a piece of meat into his mouth and chewed thoughfully. Swallowing, he added: "Didn't you like break a foot once?"

Ume nodded hesitantly. "Yes, about a week after I became a Genin, Saitou-sensei jumped out of a tree in the forest and scared me half out of my mind. I jumped ten feet in the air and ended up toppling head over heels down a hill." She rubbed the back of her head and smiled sheepishly. "It didn't take long to heal though, I was out of the hospital and ready to go in like thirty minutes. To tell you the truth, the healing jutsu was more uncomfortable than the broken foot and I never dropped my guard in that forest ever again."

From there the other members of the lunch party began to tell stories about their Jounin sensei. It was nearly dinner time when Boar, the captain of the standby ANBU team, called her over her earbud. "Weasel-taichou, we have a problem. The three Grass Genin have been found dead, their faces ripped off. Anko thinks it's Him."

Ume stood and threw some money on the table. "Take care of this for me, Kakashi? I have to go now." She quickly formed the hand signs for the Body Flicker Jutsu and left. Within the space of ten minutes she had answered the call, gotten home, changed into her ANBU uniform and made it to the Forest of Death.

Kneeling over the corpse closest to her, she swore. "Where did Anko go?"

Boar took a step closer to her and dropped into a crouch. "She's already in the forest along with the perimeter crew trying to track him down. Do you think it's really him?"

Ume stood. "I don't really know a whole lot about Orochimaru, but Anko thinks it's him and I don't know of a more qualified person to recognize his handiwork."

Boar nodded. "Orders, Captain?"

Ume pointed to the corpses. "Two of you take these guys back to ANBU headquarters and bring back Bird and Ox and their teams. We three are going to watch the perimeter until you guys get back. Hurry."

* * *

><p>By the time night had completely fallen, they had searched every inch of that forest multiple times over. She was jumpy, agitated and exhausted when she finally set up the guard and started toward the tower. There were three full squads of ANBU shinobi in the forest this time and one watching the Hokage. If Orochimaru so much as pissed the wrong way tonight, they should be able to find him.<p>

Whether they could stay alive when they found him was less certain.

She dropped into one of the balconies of the tower and entered the Hokage's room, making enough noise to alert the ninja in the room of her presence. She walked over to where the Hokage sat smoking his pipe and bowed to him. "I am so sorry, Lord Hokage, I should-"

"There is nothing you could have done to stop this from happening, Weasel. There were no signs or warnings that he was planning anything like this." He treated her with a kind smile. "You responded quickly and admirably, that is all I can ask from you."

She nodded and turned towards the window."Has Anko turned up?"

The Hokage nodded. "She is in the other room. Ape and Toad brought her in an hour ago. The curse mark is causing her a great deal of pain right now, she is resting." He smiled wryly up at her. "I don't know what it is, but it seems that there is an epidemic of guilt running havoc among my best kunoichi."

Ume blushed under the mask. "Thank you, Lord Hokage."

"Maybe you should get some rest as well, while you can."

Ume shook her head. "I have to be awake for the check-ins. With that monster out there, I have to make sure my men are safe."

The Hokage nodded. "A wise leader knows that in order to keep her men safe, she must be at her best and as I recall you always are very grumpy when you don't get enough sleep."

Ume nodded. "True enough, sir. Let's just get through this first night without any more causalities and I'll try to set up a sleeping rotation in the morning, so everyone can get some sleep. We might turn this place into a mini ANBU compound before this exam is done."


	4. 9607

_**So thanks to Juliedoo, my lone reviewer! Anyways this took awhile to write and for that I am sorry, I had like ten episodes to sift through in order to get what I wanted for this chapter. Now if you are enjoying the story, please review! I love reviews and they make me want to write! If you aren't enjoying it, for whatever reason, drop me a line and tell me why, there may be something I can do to make you enjoy it more. Also I can't wait to write the next couple of chapters, the final exams are going to be so much fun!**_

_**Day 9607**_

Ume swiped a hand down over her face, her eyes clouded and framed by dark circles, and sighed, leaning up against the desk behind her. Assembled around her were the ten ANBU teams that had been assigned to watch over the rest of the exam period. Looking up at the clock, she mused to herself, _4:00 AM, time to get started._

"It has been officially confirmed. Orochimaru is somewhere in or around Kohona." There was a slight murmur, most of the ninja here had known that, some had been yanked from their beds in order to fill the roster without any explanation of why. "His main goal, according to what he told Anko, is _not_ to destroy our village... yet. Instead he wishes to abduct Sasuke Uchiha or have him defect to the Sound Village. Neither of these are acceptable end results. Our main goal is the safety of Sasuke Uchiha and the Hokage. On top of that we are are also to help ensure the safety of every foreign ninja in Kohona should something happen."

"There are some facts that you need to be made aware of: Orochimaru has threatened to destroy the village if we try to cancel the Chuunin Exams. So the Chuunin Exams will not be cancelled and will proceed as planned. Also, the Uchiha has been given a curse mark. He is a veritable massacre waiting to happen should that mark get out of hand. In most cases, the Jounin-sensei and the proctors will take care of it, but should they fail, we will step in."

She stood fully and paced towards the ranks. "This day marks the first time in five years we have had to hold a preliminary third exam. The same rules apply that have applied for the other to portions of the exam. No contact with the Genin, unless signaled to do so by the Hokage and stay out of sight and sense. There will be a month in between this prelim and the actual start of the third exam. We will be doing background checks and security details, on both the village and the Uchiha, for the entirety of this month."

She yawned. "I know that those of you who have been active duty for the last couple of weeks are as tired as I am. Because we have an awesome Hokage who cares about our safety and health, we have a duty schedule that will allow everyone time to sleep and rest, these are not optional. You will be split into two shifts, A and B for simplicity's sake. Each shift will be on two days and off two days. When on duty, the separate teams within each shift will spilt duties among themselves, these duties will include: patrols, guard details, information gathering, and searching for Orochimaru and his allies and followers."

She waved a red-headed man in. "Aikihiko Harada and myself will be leading these shifts, working two days on and two days off as well. We will be leading check-ins, making sure you have everything you need, acting as information hubs and personally guarding the Hokage."

"Everything sound good?" She yawned again. "The first shift will be Snake, Bull, Ox, Fish, and Tiger lead by me and the second will be Bird, Boar, Cat, Raccoon and Fox lead by Aikihiko. Second shift go get some sleep, see you at 4:00 AM, two days from now. First shift, you have your assignments, check in with your unit captain as soon as you get in place then unit captains will check-in with me. After that, check-ins on your unit frequency every fifteen minutes and then on my frequency every thirty. Report anything you see, even if it doesn't seem important. I will be with Hokage." She stood fully and looked at each one individually. "Stay safe."

* * *

><p>The fact the she stood next to him to begin with, was surprising, making the fact that she wasn't in her ANBU uniform more so.<p>

However that wasn't what was worrying him. Five days ago, she had been her normal self. She had looked strong, healthy, eyes bubbling with mirth.

The woman standing in between Gai and himself, was almost totally unrecognizable.

This woman was tense, perhaps more tense than she had ever been in his recent memory. She had her arms crossed over her chest, her fists clenched and unclenched in staccato rhythm causing the fabric of her sleeve to rub incessantly against her flack vest. Her skin was unnaturally pale set against the deep shadows under her dull blue eyes and Kakashi had the distinct impression that she hadn't been eating properly.

Catching Gai's worried eyes over Ume's blond head, Kakashi shrugged and glanced at the clock. Noticing that there were still a few minutes left before the Genin entered the prelim arena, he turned towards her and clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth when she studiously avoided his eyes. Leaning over a little to get closer to her ear, he whispered quietly, "When was the last time you slept?"

She shrugged, her eyes forward, focused on the shadows of the arena. "I slept this morning."

He didn't buy it in the least. "For how long?"

"Thirty minutes."

Mentally cursing her stupidity, he prodded her again. "And when was the last time you had an actual meal?"

She glanced at him. "Five days ago when we went to lunch."

He gritted his teeth beneath the mask, of course the damn woman wouldn't take care of herself; that's what smart ninja do. "And since then, what have you eaten?"

"Water and dried fruit mostly."

He glared down at her. "You need to eat a protein bar when the prelims start."

"I'll get right on that."

Growling under his breath, he pulled a protein bar from his pack and handed it to her. "Scratch that, eat it now."

She rolled her eyes. "Really Kaka-"

"Now."

Turning to face him, she searched his visible eye and, huffing, snatched the ration bar from his hand. "I hate these stupid things."

She moved to leave the room, but Kakashi caught her elbow. "I want to see you eat it."

She was about to kick up a fuss, when more shadows fell over her. Looking up she caught Gai and Asuma's identical glowers. Asuma, smirked around his unlit cigarette. "Eat the ration bar, Brat."

She cursed and then blushed, catching the Hokage's disapproving stare. Opening the protein bar, she ate it quickly, glaring at Kakashi the entire time.

Hearing the Hokage's laughter, she blushed again. "Don't blame him, Ume. If you had been taking care of yourself, Kakashi wouldn't have to force feed you."

Pulling out another couple protein bars, he opened her weapons pack, deposited the protein bars and closed it again. "Eat those during the prelims, no arguments."

"You're ridiculous." Still, despite her protests, she was smiling now and already some color had returned to her face.

Kakashi watched as she walked to her place behind and slightly to the left of the Hokage. There was a clattering of doors and everyone turned to watch the Genin enter the room.

* * *

><p>Ume made to follow the Hokage into his box as the prelim started, only to have him stop her. "Go with Kakashi. When this fight is over and that curse mark is sealed, I want you watching the Uchiha's every move."<p>

"Yes sir." Ume nodded and jumped to the balcony, landing in between Gai and Kakashi's students. She smiled at Gai and shrugged, watching Kakashi ascend the stairs.

"Who are you?"

She stiffened and looked down at the blond boy, who sat peering up at her face. She made to answer and was cut off as Kakashi moved behind her. "A friend, Naruto." He glanced down at her. "A friend who should be eating."

She stuck out her tongue at him and then turned back to the kid. "Ume Nagaski." She shook his hand, smirking. Leaning over she crooked her finger at the suspicious blond boy. "I can tell you things about your sensei that might actually make him blush."

Naruto grinned. "Really? Like what?"

Kakashi coughed into his fist. "Ume. Eat."

She glared at him lightly, before pulling a protein bar from her pack and nibbling on it absently, her eyes now focused on the dark-haired boy in the ring. Turning her head over her shoulder she glanced at Kakashi. "You team has done impressively well, Kashi." She snuck a glance at Naruto's now mullish expression.

He crossed his arms over his chest. "What did you expect? With me on the team, we are destined for greatness."

She smiled and vaguely considered ruffling the kids hair. "My mistake."

Kakashi prodded her side. "Look."

Focusing back in on the fight, she bit her tongue to keep from cursing in front of the kids. "How did a Genin get that kind of power?"

Kakashi shrugged and watched as Sasuke's opponent turned his glowing, chakra-stealing hand on the boy.

Ume clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, she leaned over to whisper to Kakashi, "Call me paranoid, but if Orochimaru is watching, he was hoping to see that curse mark in this fight and Yoroi seems perfectly equipped to give it to him."

Kakashi nodded. "Let's hope that's not what this is."

"It's suspicious, that's all I'm saying." Ume shrugged and nibbled at the protein bar. Stepping back so she stood right next to Kakashi. "It wouldn't be the first or the last traitor the Leaf Village has seen. I'm not convinced all three are in on it. But this kid's abilities and Yakushi's sudden drop-out leave a bad taste in my mouth. Though that could be the protein bar." Making fake gagging noises, she munched on the bar and kept her eyes on the fight. "There aren't many ninja who go so far as to drop out of a refereed fight _seven_ times."

Kakashi nodded. "Do you guys have eyes on Kabuto?"

Ume shook her head. "We did, but we lost him."

Kakashi sighed deeply through his nose. "Not many Genin can shake an ANBU tail."

"Not many _ninja_ can shake Ox off of their trail. Hell I don't even know if I could shake Ox off of my trail as easily as that _Genin_ did." She glanced up at him and smirked. "You see my point?"

Nodding, visible eye wide but still trained on the boy dodging glowing fists, Kakashi mused aloud. "This seems to be much bigger than we have been anticipating."

"Yep." She finished off the last of the protein bar and shoved the wrapper in her pocket. Whispering even lower than she had been, she took out another protein bar. "Where are you taking him when the fight is over?"

"Storage room six."

"I'll be coming with you to provide back-up. Lord Hokage wants ANBU eyes on Uchiha until at least the end of the Exams." She munched noisily covering the sound of the conversation.

"I'm going to need-"

"Hey Sasuke! Come on man, what was that? And you call yourself an Uchiha?" Ume stared at Naruto and Kakashi groaned lightly. "You're gonna let this goon walk all over you. Come on, stop messing around and get it in gear!"

Ume chortled. "I'm not sure that Uchiha is used to being spoken to that way."

Kakashi shook his head, rubbing a hand over his face. "This is normal."

Ume nodded. "Maybe I'm making it up but this _rivalry_ seems oddly familiar."

"You're making it up."

Ume nodded, smiling hollowly. "Of course, Kashi, my mistake."

His voice low, his eyes watching the Uchiha's renewed attempts at dodging. "I don't...I don't-"

"I understand." She smiled. "You won't let it, so don't worry about it, 'kay?"

He nodded and she turned back to the fight, laughing.

"'Sides I'm not sure you really trained him. You been trading Genin with Gai?"

Kakashi didn't reply as all of the Leaf Jounin in the room held their breath as the curse mark spread. Ume cursed and made to call in the troops.

Kakashi stopped her. "I will take care of it."

Eyes still on the Uchiha, she nodded. "I know, but we don't know how he is going to react to that curse mark. You may need help."

He nodded abcently. "Just wait." There was a pregnant pause and the curse mark started to recede.

A few seconds later, Ume let out a low whistle and Sasuke slammed his opponent into the ground, completing the 'Lion's Barrage.' "Impressive. That's the match."

Forming a series of hand signs, he nodded to Ume. "See you there."

Ume nodded and watched as Kakashi reappeared in the ring, holding that _book_.

"You Ok?" Ume turned, smiling at Naruto. "Hey Sasuke! You won, but in such an uncool way. You came out looking like you were the one that got beat up."

Ume shook her head and watched as Kakashi argued briefly with the boy before dragging him from the room.

That's her cue.

* * *

><p>"Who is she?"<p>

Ume glared back at the boy glaring at her and turned to Kakashi. "The area is clear. The guard team is on stand-by. They are going to meet us in the infirmary, unless we have a problem." Then turning to Uchiha, she smiled. "Now all you have to do is keeping from fainting, kid."

Sasuke turned over his shoulder, watching as Kakashi traced another circle into the floor around him. "Who is she? And what problem do you think we're going to have?"

Kakashi sighed. "_She_ is Ume Nagasaki, a Konoha Jounin, who deserves your respect," Kakashi paused and shot him a stern look, "And _she _is going to help me keep you safe. As for problems: do you really think that Orochimaru would bother putting a curse mark on someone he didn't plan to use?"

"No but, he's not here, is he?" The kid looked vaguely nervous.

Ume shrugged, keeping her eyes on the entrance. "Who knows? That's why I'm here." She passed Sasuke so she was between Kakashi and the door.

A couple of minutes later, Kakashi stood. "Okay. It'll be over quickly."

Ume chuckled. "That's a bad sign..." She winked at him over her shoulder. "That means it hurts a lot."

Kakashi ignored her. "You ready?"

Sasuke glared at her around Kakashi's legs then nodded at Kakashi. Kakashi formed the hand-signs and performed the jutsu to the tune of a boy's screams. When he was finished, he cautioned, "There, now next time that curse mark starts acting up, the seal should keep it in check. But remember: this curse sealing jutsu is only as strong as you are. It derives it's strength from the strength of your will. If that will ever weakens, if you ever begin to doubt yourself, the curse will be unleashed in all its fury." Sasuke fainted and Ume walked over to stand next to Kakashi, who chuckled. "Amazing. Too tired to even argue."

Ume nodded and stepped toward Sasuke.. "I'm going to take-"

"My, how you've grown." Both ninja stilled. "To think you've become strong enough to perform the curse sealing jutsu."

"You." Kakashi turned slowly to face Ororchimaru as Ume collected the unconscious boy and retreated ten feet. Placing the boy on the ground behind her, she turned and faced Orochimaru.

"Long time no see, Kakashi." Orochimaru took a couple threatening steps closer towards them.

Ume cursed and performed a quick set of hand-signs. "Earth Style: Earth Corridor." She slammed her hands into the ground, causing a dome of rock to form around Sasuke. Pulling out a kunai, she almost frantically called the guard team over her radio.

Orochimaru tutted, but ultimately ignored her. "No offense, Kakashi but I didn't come to see you. My business is with that boy. The one that girl is trying to shield with that flimsy jutsu."

Ume gritted her teeth but stayed quiet, best let Kakashi take care of this.

"What do you want with Sasuke?"

Orochimaru chuckled. "You've acquired something new, how I envy your good fortune." Kakashi visibly tensed. "I don't think you had it the last time we met. The gift... the Sharingan in your left eye. It's only fair that I should want it, too. The Uchiha power."

Kakashi forced himself to calm down. "What's your game?"

Orochimaru seemed delighted that he asked. "This Sound Village that everyone is curious about... It's mine, you see. I created it." There was a tense pause. "I think you understand without me saying anymore."

Chuckling mirthlessly, Kakashi replied. "You and your wild-eyed ambition."

"Oh, yes indeed... As always. But to play the game, as you put it, I need pieces on the chest board, willing pawns to do my bidding."

Kakashi tensed again, his voice deep with agitation. "And Sasuke is one of your pawns."

"Oh not at all, he's a much more valuable piece than that." He paused, still cool and composed. "But as for the others... well you know how it is in the game of chest, pieces must be sacrificed."

Ume gritted her teeth, whispering. "Sick fuck."

Orochimaru turned towards her. "You think so? I take it you're ANBU, you certainly move like you are. Maybe you're even a captain. You would never sacrifice a man to accomplish your goals?"

"Hell no."

Kakashi glanced at her over his shoulder. "Ume, stop."

Orochimaru grinned. "Ume? Ume Nagasaki?"

Ume tensed and took a step back towards the earth dome.

His grin widened. "Oh yes I know you. Sarutobi-sensei was quite excited about the little nine-year-old blond who became a chuunin on her first try. I remember him saying that you had an overwhelming proficiency for Earth Release jutsu. I believe he taught you a good deal before I left Kohona. Maybe that Earth Corridor isn't as flimsy as I originally thought."

Ume went pale, her knuckles nearly white around the kunai and Orochimaru took a couple steps closer to the pair.

Kakashi tensed and dropped into stance for Chidori, powering up as he growled, "Don't come any closer. I don't care if you are one of the Sannin, the three Shinobi of legend, I swear, take one more step towards Sasuke and one of us will die here."

Orochimaru laughed and Kakashi growled again. "Funny, is it?"

Grinning that sick maniacal grin, Orochimaru mused aloud, "Poor Kakashi, all of your noble efforts, all in vain..."

"What?"

"Do you really believe that the seal will hold? Do you think that you can keep him from what he truly desires? You know I'm right... a heart like his, that hungers for one thing, will not be denied. No matter what obstacles you put in his path, he is an avenger, isn't he?"

Energy crackling around his arm, Kakashi questioned him right back. "Do you think you can take advantage of that? Not Sasuke."

Orochimaru shrugged it off. "You cannot stop it. At some point he will come to me.. in search of power." Ororchimaru turned toward the exit and walked away and Kakashi let the Chidori dissipate. As he walked through the door way, Ororchimaru let one last warning echo through the room, "Unless of course, you carry out your threat to kill me. Take it, if you dare."

Ume sagged against the earth dome and sighed watching as Kakashi visibly shaked. "You idiot. You coulda been killed."

Sighing, Kakashi turned and walked toward her. "Yeah, speaking of 'coulda been killed,' insulting him wasn't a really intelligent thing to do either, was it?"

Ume shrugged and pushed off the dome, performing the hand signs to release the jutsu. "We both would've been killed if he had decided to fight." Ume rubbed a hand over her face. "So much for calling in the troops, they still aren't here."

Ume moved towards Sasuke, only to feel Kakashi's hand on the back of her neck, pulling her into him. She shook her head lightly and fisted a hand in his flack vest as Kakashi pressed his cheek into her hair.

After a few moments of silence, she smiled. "Let's get this kid to the infimary."

Kakashi nodded and let her go. As Ume stooped to pick up Sasuke, the six ANBU she had called showed up and took the boy from her hands.

Ume clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "Better late than never I guess." She turned to smile at Kakashi. "You go ahead back to the arena, I'll get this kid settled in and then I'll come back."


	5. 9614

_**Sorry **__**about **__**the **__**long **__**wait**__**. **__**I **__**haven**__**'**__**t **__**been **__**inspired **__**lately**__**! **__**Thanks **__**for **__**all **__**the **__**reviews **__**though**__**! **__**And **__**keep **__**them **__**up**__**, **__**they **__**were **__**awesome **__**this **__**chapter**__**, **__**just **__**the **__**thing **__**I **__**needed **__**to **__**give me **__**a **__**good **__**kick **__**in **__**the **__**butt**__**.**_

_**Day**__** 9614**_

About a half a mile north of the primary ANBU compound, there lay an ever-expanding tract of land, dotted by precisely spaced rows of small stone cubes. Each stone cube is marked only by the animal codename of the ninja whose ashes are interred within the cube, no dates, no real names. These graves are kept clean and polished, a job often left to the hot-headed, reckless ANBU, (she had polished these graves more often then she cared to remember,) but there are never any flowers, no notes left for the deceased or incense burned for the souls of the dead.

Because even if a wife knew her husband's codename and could find the graveyard, which of the ten or fifteen 'Boar's or 'Rabbit's do you burn incense for?

You see when an ANBU is killed in action, there are three things that happen: their next-of-kin is notified _privately_ of their death, they are cremated and buried on ANBU property, and a new ANBU receives their mask.

With the exception of the Hokage and other ANBU members, who are forbidden to speak of it to anyone outside of ANBU, no one will ever know how an ANBU died. It's as if they simply disappear into thin air. One minute so-and-so is there the next minute they aren't. Complete anonymity.

In fact if she hadn't known in what section of the graveyard they were buried, she wouldn't have been able to find the four ANBU killed by Kabuto Yakushi.

She sat down, pulled her knees to her chest and laid her masked forehead against her knees.

How could one Genin take out four of Kohona's finest and then get one over on Kakashi? It didn't make sense.

She fisted her hands against her legs and gritted her teeth. The next time she saw Yakushi would be the last time _anyone_ saw that little chickenshit bastard.

"You shouldn't be here." Kakashi sat down a couple feet from her.

She didn't look at him and they didn't touch each other.

"I think out of the two of us, you shouldn't be here more than I shouldn't be here."

Kakashi chuckled briefly before sobering. "I assembled that team. Their deaths are on my conscience, you don't need to try and take the blame too."

She lifted her head and set her chin on her knees. "ANBU can't contain this..." She chuckled humorlessly. "Hell, I'm still having nightmares about Orochimaru. How can I keep my teams alive when I can't even stop the tremor in my hands?"

Kakashi nodded. "They are all experienced ninja, Weasel. They only need you to watch their backs."

Ume scoffed and stood. "I need a shower and clean clothes. I've been under this mask for a day and a half."

Kakashi stood as well, tracking her slow, stiff movements. He watched her as she said a quick prayer, hating the hollow emotionless ANBU voice she used and the mask that hid her emotions from him. When she lifted her head again, he moved closer to her. "When did you get off duty?"

Rubbing a hand over her sunburned neck, she rotated her sunburned shoulders and walked away from the graves, Kakashi matching her stride for stride. "4 AM."

Kakashi looked up at the sun, it was just now dawn, around 7AM. "You've been out here since four?"

Ume shook her head. "You know I haven't been. You tailed me from the Hokage's office."

He shook his head and chuckled softly. "I wondered if you had noticed me."

Ume looked up at him and he was sure that there was an arched brow under that mask. "You were making enough noise. I don't believe for a second that you didn't want us to know you were there."

Kakashi shrugged.

* * *

><p>Ume stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her body, bending over at the waist she wrapped her long blond hair in a towel. She dried off quickly, putting on underwear. On the floor outside of the bathroom, she found one of Kakashi's over-shirts. She slipped it on over the towel on her head and walked into the bedroom, towel drying her hair.<p>

"That was a long shower." Kakashi sat up against the pillows, his ever-present book in his lap.

Ume smiled sheepishly "I sat down in the tub and fell asleep."

Kakashi pulled his mask off of his face and smiled. "I took a nap myself."

She dropped the towel in a basket by the door and walked towards her dresser. Picking up her hairbrush and pulling the thick mass of blond hair over her shoulder, she caught Kakashi's eye.

"When are Naruto and Sasuke going to start training?" She sat on the end of the bed, next to Kakashi's hip and started to brush out her hair.

"Naruto has already started to train. I'm going to give Sasuke a couple more days to heal up. No sense in training when he's still out of chakra."

Ume frowned. "Who is Naruto training with, if not with you?"

"My original plan was for him to train with Ebisu."

Ume snorted. "Did you really think that was going to work? I can't even respect Ebisu and I was one of his Genin teammates."

Kakashi chuckled and lackadaisically defended the man. "He is an elite tutor and his specialty is chakra control, which Naruto needs a lot of help with."

"Okay, so what if he is?" She sat her brush on the side table. "Asking a kid like Naruto to train with someone he doesn't respect, while you, someone he respects a lot, trains his rival, is like asking for trouble. In fact, training with Ebisu is torture to begin with. He's an elitist jackass and I can't imagine he thinks highly of Naruto."

Kakashi smiled, running a hand up her back. "He might be the only person you don't like."

She sulked. "He doesn't like me back, so no one's feelings were hurt, believe me."

Kakashi massaged the back of her neck. "I never understood why you never got along with either of your teammates."

Ume spared a dry glance at Kakashi. "Our team was doomed from the get go. A thirteen-year-old grad, a ten-year-old grad and a nine-year-old grad in one team. We couldn't stand each other. They never took me seriously and once I figured out that I couldn't make them my friends, I just gave up trying." She shrugged and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Then to add insult to injury, I was the only one from our team to make Chuunin in that first exam. Me: the no-talent civilian-born ninja was chosen over the a ninja born with a silver spoon in his mouth and one who thought his family name made him awesome." She smirked over her shoulder at Kakashi. "I think it stung at their pride a little.".

Kakashi shrugged. "I don't think Ebisu minds Naruto all that much, in fact I kind of think he likes him, but it doesn't matter; Ebisu informed me that in typical Naruto fashion, Naruto went and found his own sensei." Kakashi paused and rubbed his hand down her shoulder, causing his shirt to slide off of her shoulder. "Naruto is training with Jiraiya."

Ume stiffened and turned to face him fully, sitting cross-legged on her bed. "Jiraiya? As in Three Sannin, Toad Mountain Sage, Jiriaya?" Kakashi nodded grinning and she continued, eyes still wide. "Well, it certainly worked out for better. Think of all the things Jiraiya can teach him."

Kakashi nodded and tried to persuade her to lay down. Smiling, she brought her hair over her shoulder and began to braid it. Kakashi grabbed her hand. "Leave it, I never see your hair down."

She nodded. "That's cause it's a bitch and a half to brush out if I don't braid it before I go to bed."

"Leave it."

She shook her head and did as he asked. Laying down next to him, she sighed and made to speak.

"Don't think about it, you'll just make yourself sick," Kakashi cut her off.

"I can't stop thinking about it." Ume sighed and swiped a hand over her face. She huffed lightly and turned towards Kakashi. "Promise that if I die on duty," She paused searching for words, putting a hand to Kakashi's mouth when he tried to interrupt. "Just promise to tell my parents what really happened and help them to visit my grave every once and a while. I don't want to disappear."

Kakashi reached a hand to her cheek and pulled her down closer to his mouth. "You won't disappear."

"Promise."

He smiled. "I promise."

* * *

><p>She always woke up slowly on her days off, her mind cloudy and confused, working harder than normally necessary to piece together the where and how of her situation. As she turned over, she tried to focus on guessing the time without looking at her clock. Judging by the light-<p>

"It's about two o'clock in the afternoon, I went and got lunch."

Ume sat up, accepting the bundle from Kakashi. "Let's go eat this in the kitchen." She made a face. "No crumbs in the bed." She stood and followed Kakashi out into the living areas of the apartment.

Sitting down at the table, they dug in silently, munching away at the tempura Kakashi had picked up.

When they were done, Kakashi slouched back in his chair. "We have a meeting in two hours. You need to get dressed, I don't think the Hokage would appreciate you showing up in my shirt."

Ume frowned, her brow furrowing in confusion. She started to gather dishes and question him from the sink, "What meeting? I don't remember a meeting being scheduled."

"The messengers came when you were asleep. You didn't even try to wake up, you were so tired-"

"Messengers? As in plural?" She turned to look at him. "Why were there multiple messengers?"

Kakashi sighed. "An ANBU messenger stopped by about an hour after you fell asleep. I chose not to wake you up-"

"What happened Kakashi?" She leveled a solemn look at him. "Who died and how?"

"Hayate Gekko." Kakashi stood and walked towards her. "And we don't know how it happened just yet, that's what the meeting is for."

Ume paused. "Does Yugao know?"

Kakashi paused. "Yes, Yugao's team found him."

Ume sucked in a sharp breath. "She was the messenger... wasn't she?"

Kakashi nodded.

"I wasn't there when she needed me."

Kakashi shook his head. "She's on duty, she shouldn't have even stopped by your apartment, she broke protocol. You're on-"

"I am her captain, Kakashi! Her _fucking_ captain." Ume was seething. "And one of _very_ few female ANBU. The only friend she has that understands what she's going through. If she can't trust me to be there when she needs me, who _can_ she take this to? Boar? Fox?"

Kakashi shoved to his feet. "Ume! Calm down." He steered her towards a chair and sat back on his haunches to look into her eyes. "Calm down and take care of yourself for a change. You've actually literally worried yourself sick. You've lost at least ten, maybe even fifteen pounds since the beginning of the exams and it's been barely three weeks!"

She waved him off.

Kakashi sighed. "I don't understand what the problem is. You've lost men before."

"Never this many." She shook her head and looked away from him. "I can deal with a failed recovery mission, we can always do that again, find another way to get at whatever objective we have. But if I fail this time... Kakashi, if I fail, we all could die, every single last one of us."

"You aren't on your own. You have ten squads, _forty_ ninja out there, who are willing to lay their life down for this village and for you. You moping and not taking care of yourself doesn't help them and it doesn't help you." He stood and pulled her up with him.

Ume sighed and nodded. "I can't fail, Kakashi."

Kakashi kissed her quickly, sighing. Patting her on the butt, he pushed her towards the bedroom. "Get dressed the Hokage wants us."

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry."<p>

Yugao swiveled towards Ume on the tree branch, her mask hiding her features. "What for? Hayate's death had nothing to do with you."

Ume shrugged. "I still feel responsible... And I could have at least been there for you when you called on me."

Yugao shook her masked head. "Don't be. We all know that out of all of us, you've been having the hardest time sleeping. I was hoping to catch you before you fell asleep."

Ume nodded and turned to leave. "I can't be here and you can't be distracted... I'll just go-"

"Ume?" Ume looked over her shoulder at Yugao.

"Yeah?"

"What would you have done if it had been Kakashi?"

Ume gasped sharply and then shook her head. "Kakashi and I... Well we don't have the same kind of relationship you and Hayate had..."

Yugao scoffed. "Yeah... right. That's complete bullshit. Just because you refuse to name it doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

Ume shook her head. "Really... it isn't-"

"Don't let him die without knowing, it is not a pleasant feeling."

Ume nodded. "Hayate understood...I know he did. And I promise you: we will get revenge. I know that for a fact." She turned to leave.


	6. 9635

_**Thanks **__**so **__**much **__**for **__**the **__**reviews**__**! **__**You **__**guys **__**are **__**so **__**awesome**__**! **__**Keep **__**it **__**up**__**! **_

_**Warnings**__**: **__**Character **__**death**__**.**_

_**Day**__** 9635**_

Crackle, fuzz. Cat's voice filtered over the earpiece in her ear and over the conversation between the two Kages. "Weasel-taichou, where is Kakashi and the Uchiha?"

Ume shifted in her position behind the Hokage. She sighed and whispered softly. "I have no idea. "He doesn't tell me anything. Ask the outside surveillance teams if there has been any sign of them."

"Roger."

"Weasel."

Ume shifted slightly closer to the Hokage. "Yes, Lord Hokage?"

"Tell me that someone has eyes on Kakashi and his pupil." He slanted a look back at her.

She shook her head, her mask rasping against her white hood. "No, sir. You know Kakashi sir, if he doesn't want to be found then he won't be found."

The Hokage smiled. "I would hope that he would at least do you the consideration of telling you where he would be."

Ume blushed under her mask. "No sir. He's kind of a jerk like that."

The Hokage chuckled softly. "Very well then, we will make an exception. We shall postpone this match and wait." He turned over his shoulder and told Raido to inform the proctor, then turned back towards the Kazekage. "However it is most unusual for you to insist so strongly, Lord Kazekage."

"In order to display the full strength of our village's ninja, no opponent but an Uchiha will do. This is a big chance for Sasuke, yes; but a big opportunity for us as well."

A chill chased down Ume's spine as the sand ninja in the next match withdrew. She had seen that kid fight, sure Shino had already proved to be tough, but that kid could have taken him. So much for showing off the strength of the Hidden Sand's ninja.

Speaking as softly as absolutely possible, Ume spoke into the mic hidden in her mask. "Everyone: heads up... Something feels wrong."

The answer was subdued.

A fight and ten minutes later, staring down into the arena at the Uchiha and his opponent, the churning feeling in her stomach had only intensified. She couldn't shake the feeling that someone in the arena had ulterior motives, that something just wasn't jiving. It was like knowing someone in the room was talking behind her back.

She stepped slightly closer to the Hokage, hoping that if anything did go wrong she could respond quickly. She knew she shouldn't have let the Hokage talk her into being one of his guards. Cat was much better suited to this type of situation.

"You seem tense, ANBU-san."

Her eyes flew to the Kazekage and met his eyes, the sand ninja next to him shifting slightly and stiffly.

"I am just excited to watch the match, Lord Kazekage." This guy gave her the creeps.

"Weasel-taichou. The bodies of Grass ninja have been found within the arena."

Ume turned from the Kazekage. Depressing the push-to-talk button, she whispered into her mic. "What?

"They were crushed, Taichou and there is sand everywhere."

Ume head swiveled on a stiff neck to look at the Kazekage, who was staring at her like he had heard the message. _What __did __you __unleash __here__?_

She turned away again. "Get two ANBU from the outside squads and get those bodies out of the arena, notify who ever they belong to quickly."

"Yes, Taichou."

Ume shifted forward a slight bit more, eyes on the fight. The Uchiha looked impressive, and he was faster... and more arrogant. She chuckled slightly despite the tension. He was turning out more and more like Kakashi everyday.

Ume's brow furrowed, eyes on the Sand Ninja. The boy was sluggish at best, downright immobile in the face of the Uchiha's speed.

She watched as the the red-head dropped into a stance, gathering the sand around him to form a ball around his body. Sasuke made an attempt to break the shield and got a couple sharp, pointy sand spikes for his trouble. A short while later a third eye appeared. He apparently had decided to hole up in there for awhile. _Must __have __something __up __his __sleeve__._

Another volley of ineffective attacks and Sasuke backed off, pausing for a moment before vaulting up the side of the arena. After a succession of hand-signs that she couldn't help but recognize, she gasped. "Holy hell."

Both Kage looked sharply at her in askance, but she just stared up at the Uchiha's arm, crackling with visible chakra.

"That technique, it's Kakashi's." The Hokage was as shocked as she was.

"Yes sir, it is."

"He proves to be more and more like his sensei everyday, doesn't he, Weasel?"

Ume snorted. "Yes, my Lord, he does. Though I don't know how that is even possible, he is so young."

There was a pause as the Uchiha raced down the side of the stadium and plunged his hand deep into the sphere of sand. The stadium erupted in roars of encouragement for the Uchiha, before going silent when nothing else happened. Then suddenly from within the sphere came a blood-curdling scream.

"Blood! It's my BLOOD!"

The Uchiha started and struggled to free his arm, eventually resorting to another Chidori to loosen the sand. When the sand gave way, the Uchiha pulled his arm free, pulling a strange, fleshy blue veined appendage out with it. The stadium was silent just staring at the sphere.

The sand disintegrated, revealing a bleeding Gaara. The boy was breathing hard and staring at nothing.

A thrill raced down her back.

Again she turned to look at the Kazekage. _What __did __he __do __to __this __boy__?_

A second later, the Kages turned to stare at each other, the Kazekage got a strange look in his eye, before drawling an ominous. "So, shall we begin?"

Suddenly on of the Sand ninja guarding the Kazekage rushed forward releasing a smoke bomb.

Ume threw her cloak off and stepped in front of the Hokage, drawing a kunai in each hand.

Two kunai flew past her face, and she turned over her shoulder to watch as Raido slid down the wall behind the Hokage's chair. A second later, one of the Sand Ninja rushed her, digging his shoulder into her side, breaking at least two ribs and physical throwing her from the Kage booth. She landed on her injured side careening down the clay roof, sending shingles every which way. As she neared the edge of the roof, she managed to throw out a Kunai clutching hand, stabbing the kunai into the roof's drain work. Using the arm on the uninjured side of her body, she swung up and steadied herself of the edge of the roof. A second later, as she was trying to catch her breath, a wall of black cloaked ninja appeared before her.

Cat shoved his way to the front. "Taichou, your orders."

Ume stood and adjusted her mask. "Raido is injured and the Hokage is still in there. The Sand have betrayed us. No mercy. Cat, I want the Hokage out of there now."

"Yes, Taichou!" Cat nodded then added, "Squad One, above. Squad Two, below; protect the nobles."

Ume switched the station on the earbud and pushed the push-to-talk button. "Outside crews: we have a security breach within the arena. I repeat, there has been a security breach in the arena. Back-up requested."

There was an eerie answering silence.

"I need a reply now."

There was a crackling, faint response. "I don't think that's going to happen, Taichou. We're being invaded."

Ume swore violently, switched the station back, and pushed the PTT button. Taking a deep breath, she delivered the bad news. "We fight alone. I repeat: there will be no reinforcements. We are being invaded. We defend the arena alone."

"Roger."

Ume made jump up to the upper level, only to be headed off by a dozen Sound ninja. She shook her head and smiled under her mask. She tsked and spoke, her voice smooth and emotionless. "Hello."

A second later two Sound Ninja slid off the roof, clutching at the kunai lodged in their throats. Ume unsheathed the sword on her back and their comrades rushed her.

Almost simultaneously, chaos broke over the stadium, every Leaf ninja fighting for their village. Unfortunately for the Sound ninja in the stadium, they had attacked the wrong village.

* * *

><p>Ume could feel her body physically slowing, every step coming a fraction later than the step previous. She had long since reverted to pure taijutsu to conserve as much chakra as possible, but, as she pulled yet another kunai from some bleeding appendage or another, she realized that if this fight didn't end soon, she would have more chakra than blood.<p>

The first two twelve-man platoons had been easy to dispatch, it seemed as though Orochimaru was just pulling common thugs off the streets these days, but that original platoon had been replaced at least three times already and the leader of this platoon was no common ninja.

"Your taijutsu is strong, lady and you've proved that you ANBU captains are no joke, but you've lost a lot of blood." His mask hid his face, but his eyes were arrogant.

Thinking as sluggishly as she was starting to move, she searched for anyway to end this fight quickly. This seemed to be the last of the platoons sent to slow her down, but it also seemed to be a stronger, more advanced team than the last four platoons. Sighed she shook her head.

"C'mon, Bitch give up already."

The leader of the team glared down at the ninja who had just spoken. "Put a lid on it. You piss her off we'll be sending you home in a body bag and that's more trouble than you're worth."

Ume chuckled, grateful yet again for the mask that hid her emotions, shrugged and back-flipped off of the roof. As she fell, she performed a series of hand signs. Landing in a deep crouch, she glanced up at the Sound ninja on the roof, trying to decide whether or not to follow her down into the middle of the arena.

"You know the orders, we're to keep this ANBU captain busy so she can't give orders or rally any troops. Get down there."

Once all of the Sound ninja stood in front of her, she planted her hands into the ground. "Earth Style: Dropping Lid!"

The earth shook as a giant boar shaped lid dropped over the Sound ninja. Another quick succession of hand signs and she dived into the earth. She travelled under the earth lid and pulled each Sound ninja into the earth below their feet. Popping up inside the earth lid, she chuckled. "Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu. You boys just hang around for a bit. I'm sure ANBU Interrogation Squad will have a few questions for you."

She released the lid and looked around the stadium, Orochimaru's barrier was still up. She sighed and looked around the stadium one last time.

Suddenly she stopped, noticing an extra black cloaked ANBU over by where Kakashi and Gai were fighting. She did a quick head count: counting the ANBU who died earlier, all members of the Stadium teams were accounted for.

"Genma."

Genma dispatched his last opponent and turned towards her.

"Yes, ANBU-taichou."

"Watch these guys for me."

She vaulted up the side of the stadium, landing behind the ANBU imposter. "You're very clever." The fighting stopped momentarily as the Sound ninja were alerted to her presence.

She almost lost control of her anger as the imposter turned, still wearing the stolen mask.

"Somehow you knew how our rank structure was organized. Somehow you knew that it would be better to impersonate an ANBU from an outside squad. Maybe you thought they wouldn't notice or that it would provide a decent distraction to allow your invasion squads time to get in or maybe you got lucky. Still you knew that as long as you kept your head down I wouldn't notice you until it didn't matter if I knew you were here."

"Weasel-taichou, nice to meet you. I've heard so much about you." He tapped by his ear where the earbud was hidden. He had even known what station to listen in on.

Ume shrugged and wiped the length of her sword against her right leg. In a move fueled by anger and adrenaline, she surged forward and disappeared, before reappearing behind him. She swung her sword downward and misses, throwing a kunai at the imposter's retreating form.

"You seem to have lost a lot of blood, Weasel-taichou." The stolen mask mocked her. "Maybe you should sit down."

"Fuck you."

"I would have never expected such ugly language from a woman."

Ume gritted her teeth, her body shaking with the effort it took to reign in her normally dormant temper.

"Do you think that you can save you're village? You couldn't even keep this poor sop alive." He tapped the center of the mask and she lurched forward on unsteady legs

"WEASEL!"

Ume started at the sound of Kakashi's voice and the imposter took her lapse of concentration as a chance to escape into the center of the arena.

She moved to follow, only to be blocked by Kakashi. "You don't have the strength to fight him right now. Stop."

She pressed forward. "He had to have killed Noburu to get that mask."

"I'll take care of it. You can't beat him right now."

Her knees buckled, the adrenaline wearing off in a sudden rush. Still she tried to pull herself to her feet. "You know who he is." She buckled again.

Kakashi caught her wrist and pulled her arm over his shoulder.

"I'll take care of it."

* * *

><p>Ume moved gingerly, careful not to pull the literally hundred stitches that were currently holding her body together. She carefully wrapped each wound, hoping to protect it from the rain that was sure to fall today. Pulling on her, ceremonial black robes and sandals. Silently, almost reverently, she left her apartment through the door and locked it before making her way in the opposite direction of Hokage tower.<p>

It took her nearly twice as long as normal to get there, but a full ten minutes later she walked up to the memorial stone, staring at the three people found there. She nodded, half-stunned, at Jiraiya.

Moving pass the Sannin, she walked past Kakashi and laid a hand on Yugao's shoulder. Wincing as she leaned over Yugao, she whispered softly into her ear. "I would die."

"What?"

Ume paused and swallowed thickly. "If we switched places... I couldn't-"

Yugao nodded and stood. She smiled sadly at Ume. "Yeah, I know." She nodded briefly at Ume, before turning and leaving Kakashi and Ume alone. Ume said a quick prayer and turned toward Kakashi. "Ready?"

Kakashi looked at her over his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"We're burying him today." Ume winced again as her ribs twinged. "No. I'm not okay."

Kakashi sighed. "Let's go."

Ume made to move then stopped. "Should I go?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Doctor did say that you didn't want to get those stitches wet."

"I'm not worried about the fuckin' stitches."

Kakashi sighed. "He would have wanted you to be there."

"So I can fail him again?" Her eyes were wide, her blonde hair plastered to her face and down her back, clinging to the black fabric that was clinging to her skin. "And Asuma-"

"Wants you there too."

She let out a shuttering breath. "The only thing I was supposed to do was protect him..."

"Orochimaru knew you would be there, he had already adjusted his plan to deal with you-"

"That is no excuse!"

Kakashi grabbed her hand and pulled her in the direction of Hokage Tower. "It is today."


	7. 9677

_**Sorry for the late update, I just haven't felt like writing. Thanks so much for the reviews though! I always read them even if I don't respond. Read and Review!**_

_**Day 9677**_

Kakashi sighed as he entered Ume's apartment closing the door behind him. The room was uncharacteristically filthy, clothes everywhere, her ANBU uniform wadded up and thrown in a corner, still covered in dried blood and riddled with small kunai holes. He shook his head and made his way to the closed bedroom door.

Filth yet again... but to no Ume.

Kakashi sighed left the bedroom and quickly moving to lock the door to the apartment before performing a quick set of hand signs. Next he checked the memorial stone, then the ANBU graveyard and there wasn't a blond-headed kuniochi in sight.

Gritting his teeth in frustration, Kakashi ran through a list of other possible locations. He soon ran out of ideas and raised his head, wiping a hand over his face. Glaring out at Hokage Mountain, he chuckled suddenly.

Why hadn't he thought of that?

A second later, he reappeared on top of Hokage Mountain and the beginning of the ramp that led to the left side of the Third's monument. He started down the ramp, spotting a little blond speck tucked into a corner. As he got closer he realized that she was leaning back against the side of the monument, her arms wrapped around her knees. He sucked in a breath, there were deep bags under her eyes and she had lost yet more weight in the month and a half since the Third's death.

The temporary suspension of ANBU operations until the next Hokage was named had given her more time than was healthy for her to sit and mull over the Chuunin Exam debacle. She had been impossibly upset after the Third died, now, if possible, she was worse.

Kakashi squatted down in front of her, brushing her loose hair from her eyes. "Ume?"

She looked up, her eyes bloodshot and glassy.

Kakashi waited for a response and never received one. "I haven't seen you in a while."

She shrugged and tucked her chin into the circle of her arms, breaking eye contact.

"How long have you been out here?"

"Midnight."

Kakashi cursed and moved to lift her to her feet by her arms. Ume flinched away from him, protesting weakly as he swung her into his arms.

A swift succession of hand signs brought the two back to Ume's apartment. He set her down on her feet and as he unlocked the door, she tried to move away from him towards the stairs out of the apartment building. He grabbed her arm and tucked her against his body as he jerked the door open.

Closing and locking the door behind him, he gently pushed her into the living room of the apartment, watching perplexed as she stared, almost horrified at her ANBU uniform. He walked pass her, picked up the uniform and brought it into the kitchen, hiding it from her view.

Walking back towards her, he ushered her into her bedroom. "Go get cleaned up." Kakashi tugged on her shirt, trying to persuade her to lift her arms.

She stared blankly at him.

"We're going to lunch with Asuma."

She winced. "No."

Kakashi shook his head and pulled a kunai out of one of his utility pockets, literally cutting the shirt off of her. "Do you want the rest of your clothes to survive this encounter?"

She glared at him and began to remove the rest of her clothing, looking so completely miserable that he laughed despite the rather depressing circumstances. "I'm asking you to take a shower, not to go drown yourself, calm down."

She just glared at him and moved towards the shower.

Kakashi sighed, and listened for the rush of water. "You have ten minutes and then I'm coming in there!"

The shower turned on and five minutes later, he was stripping out of his own clothes. He entered the steamy bathroom and pulled open the shower curtain. Ume was sitting under the shower head, arms wrapped around her knees.

She glanced up at him, her eyes tired and resigned. "I'm not drowning myself, you can rest easy."

Kakashi stepped into the shower, squinting as water hit him full in the face, and pulled her to her feet and into his arms. "Do you really think that the only thing I am worried about is you not killing yourself?"

Ume shrugged listlessly against him, her head against his shoulder. "You seem to waste a lot of time and energy keeping me-"

"It's never a waste, Ume."

She chuckled mirthlessly. "Are you sure?" She lifted herself from him and stepped back, wrapping her arms around herself and turning from him.

Kakashi picked up a bar of soap and, lathering it in his hands, he rubbed his hands across her shoulders, squeezing gently.

Ume stiffened under his hands and tried to pull away from him. "I failed royally, Kashi. There's no coming back from this."

"You're being overdramatic." His dropped a kiss behind her ear. "You did the best that you could. The intel was faulty, you had no-"

She pulled completely away, rounding on him with more emotion than he had seen since he made her come home. "Stop offering excuses for me! I _failed_, Kakashi. I lost six ANBU ninja under my command and a _Hokage!_ I _killed_ the Third Hokage. I let him die!"

"How could you have stopped it?" Kakashi rarely ever raised his voice and Ume jumped, staring at him wide eyed. "How, Ume? You've seen Orochimaru in action, so how would you have handled him? What jutsus would you have used to disable him? You saw what the Hokage resorted to and Orochimaru survived even that! So how would you have done better?"

Ume looked down and away. "If only I could have bought the Hokage some time-"

"You would have never survived."

"I would gladly-"

"Don't you dare." Kakashi's jaw clenched.

"It's a reality of our work, Kakashi, you're ex-ANBU, you-"

"So it's okay if you suffer and die for the village but the Hokage needs your permission to die-"

She glared at him. "_We_ need the Hokage, Kashi, his death has torn the bleeding heart out of this village, we _mourn-_"

"I would mourn-"

She was getting impatient, which was out of character for her. "It's not the same, Kashi. You _ know_ this. The Hokage... Hiruzen-sensei's death has had effects beyond the immediately obvious. My death-"

"-Would break Anko, Kurenai and Asuma's hearts."

"-Would be almost completely anonymous, I would be just another black marble cube in a sea of black marble cubes. The sixteenth Weasel to be interred in that cemetery." Her face was blank and cold. "Did you know that my predecessor died on his first mission as an ANBU? He made a careless mistake ended up at the bottom of a ravine. The Weasel before that was captured by enemy operatives and tortured. And before that, Weasel was poisoned on a mission and didn't make it back, he was only seventeen, had been an ANBU less than a year. I'm the only Weasel to ever make past five years of service and the only captain. When I got my mask, my training captain laughed and said that it figured that I got the Weasel mask. He said that Weasel's never make it very long." She chuckled lowly. "I'm living on borrowed time as it is."

"Stop it." Kakashi leaned over her, caging her against the tile wall of the shower, nearly growling as he glared down at her. "Stop acting so glib about death. It doesn't suit you."

"Maybe it should." Ume shrugged. looking down at her. "Maybe life would be easier if I was comfortable with death."

Kakashi cursed. "A month ago you were begging me to make sure you didn't disappear, now it seems you're rushing towards anonymity, make up your fuckin' mind and pull your head out of your ass." He slung the shower curtain open violently, water spraying everywhere and stepped out of the shower with his back turned to her. "Stop trying to be noble and accept the gift the Hokage gave you." Kakashi turned towards her. "He loved you like a daughter, treated you better than your own father did. There is no way he was disappointed with how you handled yourself on the battlefield, but he'd be ashamed of you if he could hear the way you're speaking now. Get out of the shower and get dressed. It's time for lunch."

* * *

><p>"We have a new Hokage."<p>

Ume's head jerked up from her ramen. "Who?"

Asuma smirked, knowing he had got her attention. "Well, Squirt, if you hadn't isolated yourself from the world this last month and a half, you would have known that they have been looking everywhere for Lady Tsunade."

"Tsunade?" Ume nodded. "She is a good choice. She will make a fine Hokage."

Asuma shrugged. "She's not my dad but she will do."

Ume winced away from Asuma, shifting on her stool. Whispering into her bowl, she apologized, and Asuma stared back at her.

"What are you apologizing for?"

Ume took a shaky breath and met his eyes skittishly, shrugging.

Asuma growled and looked at Kakashi. "What the hell is going on?"

Kakashi grunted. "She fels responsible for the Hokage's death."

Asuma laughed sarcastically. -_"Don't tell me Ume, are you a Sound spy too?"

Ume glared at him. "No I am not."

"I'm joking, Runt." Asuma pulled her into a half-hug. "My dad used to sit up and worry about you when you were on missions. He would sit up all hours of the night wondering if maybe he pushed you too hard, or allowed you to push yourself too hard. He used to call you his favorite child. Said that unlike his actual children, you were quiet, respectful and obedient."

Ume chuckled and called for a bottle of sake. Pouring herself some, she shook her head. "My dad was always disappointed with me. I was always too much of something and too little of something else. Too tomboyish, not feminine enough to attract a good husband. Too ambitious, not content enough with the simple life. Too obstinate and stubborn, not willing enough to take good advise when it was given." She downed her first saucer of sake. "I don't know if you guys remember, it was a while ago, but when I was fourteen, I caught a sword in my shoulder during my first mission as a jounin. It was the first time I had actually been seriously hurt during a mission.

"I went home, expecting my father to ignore me and some hysterics from my mother but my father told me that he had told me so, that he knew that I was going to get hurt or worse killed. He demanded that I quit and find a different job, one that was less dangerous and would allow me enough time to get married and have children. I told him that he was crazy and that I loved being a ninja, despite the danger. I then went a step further and told him that in the ninja world, I was an adult and that he couldn't make my decisions for me anymore. He told me to get out of his house, that I was his biggest disappointment in life. And now it seems that I have disappointed an entire village and let down the only other parental-type figure I had."

Kakashi shook his head, and poured himself some sake. "Don't be stupid. You fought hard for him and he knew it."

"Regardless, I failed."

Asuma reached for the bottle and sighed. "Then we _all_ failed."

* * *

><p>"I can't believe I let it get this bad." Ume swiped a hand across her face before beginning to clean. Within the space of an hour, the apartment was neat and tidy, dishes clean and put away and clean laundry hanging on a line.<p>

Kakashi sat himself on the couch, watching impassively as she erased the evidence of her depression over the last couple months. He pulled his book out of one of his utility pockets and Ume disappeared into the kitchen, putting a pot of water on to boil and rustling around the cabinets. "Feel better?"

Ume walked back into the living room, shrugging with the tattered remains of her ANBU uniform wrapped around her hands. Quickly and efficiently, without much thought, she began to shred the uniform.

Kakashi watched as she then opened her uniform hiding spot and threw the shredded fabric into the floor space by the trunk. "Do you have another?"

Ume nodded. "Of course. But I have to remember to take this to headquarters so I can dispose of it."

Kakashi nodded and patted the seat next to him. "You need to sleep tonight."

Ume chuckled. "I haven't been sleeping well."

"That much is obvious."

Ume flopped onto the couch next to him and opened her mouth to speak.

"Nagasaki-taichou."

Ume sighed and stood from the couch, walking over to the sliding glass door that led to her balcony, where the Lion-masked ANBU stood waiting.

"Lion, how have you been?" She walked out onto the balcony, closing the door behind her and shooting Kakashi a look. He immediately stood and walked into the bedroom.

"I am well, thank you Taichou. Your presence has been requested by the Hokage."

"Thank you, Lion. When?"

"Thirty minutes."

Ume nodded, dismissed the messenger and reentered her apartment, quickly undressing and donning her uniform and white cloak. Kakashi exited the bedroom and sighed. "Now?"

Ume nodded. "The... the Hokage calls."

Kakashi shrugged and watched her silently as she placed her mask over her face. "Hope it won't take too long. Be here when you get back."

Ume nodded and after a quick succession of hand signs, disappeared in puff of smoke.

* * *

><p>"Your records are impressive, Weasel-taichou, especially considering that you are civilian-born."<p>

Ume nodded slowly. "Is that what you called me here to discuss, Lady Hokage?"

Tsunade laughed. "Hell no, but I must say: I am impressed. You are not only the only civilian-born ANBU captain in Black Ops history, you are also currently our most experienced captain, with a little over eight years under your belt. The Third has recorded you main strengths as taijutsu and leadership, with a definite penchant for Earth-Release ninjutsu. You are normally calm and rational, slow to anger, but you have a tendency towards over-simplification, naivety, and biting off more than you can chew. And once you do loose control of your anger, you are hard to reign back in." Tsunade levelled a frank stare at her and Ume blushed under the mask. "And it appears that you do not know how to feed and take care of yourself."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Every ANBU that I have spoken to today holds you in high regards, Cat and Boar are especially fond of you." Tsunade sighed deeply and shuffled the papers on her new desk. "Let's get down to it. As you know, one of the causalities of the invasion was Aikihiko Harada, the only other captain with experience comparable to yours. You two were the unofficial head-captains of ANBU and now I am suggesting that we make it a little more official."

Ume's head shot up. "Excuse me, Ma'am?"

"You are going to help me run ANBU. I have been gone too long, I don't know my ANBU as well as you and I can't make informed decisions based on my lack of information. So I will need you."

Ume snorted. "I am wholly unqualified for the position, Lady Hokage."

"Because of the Third's death?"

Ume flinched and nodded.

"Yeah, Cat mentioned that you have an overly guilty conscience, too." Tsunade smiled. "But you don't have a choice. Report by my office tomorrow morning, we have missions to plan."

"Yes Ma'am!" Ume bowed and left the office.

* * *

><p>Kakashi looked up from his book as Ume wandered into her bedroom, still wearing her uniform sans mask. "What happened?"<p>

Ume chuckled shrilly. "I think I was just promoted."


	8. Zero

_**Sorry for the wait... I have had horrible writer's block to be quite honest. Anyways read and review, it is always helpful for beating writer's block.**_

_**Zero**_

Ume _hated_ hospitals. They smelled of death and decay. They were rank with the permeating stench of withering dreams and the slow leak of vitality and strength that clung to her skin and hair for what felt like days after leaving the hospital. She could stand to watch ninjas die in battle but to watch people who garner most of their self-worth and identity from their usefulness and their honor and the pride they get in serving their village forced to just lie there watching all hope of ever being whole again, of every being useful or strong again, leak through their fingers like so many grains of sand... It was more than depressing, it terrified her.

If the circumstances hadn't been so extreme, she would have run the other way.

"How are they doing?" She ran her fingers lightly through the hair at the back of his neck.

Kakashi looked up and reached up to cup a hand over her hip. He pulled her closer and leaned lightly against her, his cheek pressed into the rough fabric of her flack vest. "Everyone has been stabilized."

"Even Chouji?"

Kakashi nodded, staring at Naruto's sleeping face.

"And he's... the Uchiha."

"Defected."

Ume cursed and leaned over to kiss Kakashi lightly on the top of his head. Giving his shoulder a quick squeeze, she let him go and moved towards Naruto's bedside.

"He's a cute kid."

"Reminds me of you when you were a kid."

Ume smiled brightly. "I always knew you thought I was cute, for all of your posturing and acting cool. Though I resent the fact that you are insinuating that I was hyper."

Kakashi shook his head. "'First time I met you, you blathered on for an hour." His voice went high and squeaky. "Hi, my name is Ume Nagasaki! I'm four years old, how old are you? My mom says I'm tall for my age and I want to be a ninja when I grow up. Do you want to be a ninja, too? Can I play with your knife? It's called a kunai, right?"

Ume chuckled. "Did you record the conversation, Mr. Specific? Besides I was in complete control the entire time."

"You fell over my fence head first."

"Hush you."

Kakashi chuckled and grabbed her hand, pulling her away from Naruto's bed and in between his legs. Resting his forehead against her stomach, he sighed heavily.

She smiled softly and untied his hitai-ate and ran her fingers unencumbered through his hair. "Look at us, eh? Mr. and Mrs. Unnecessary Guilt."

"We'd have to be married for that to make any sense."

Ume shrugged and tugged his head back lightly, dropping a quick kiss on his masked lips and then one over his scarred eyelid. "Details."

Kakashi shook his head and pulled her into his lap, pressing his face into her neck.

"Kashi-"

"Don't."

"Look I'm just giving you a little back of what you've been giving me these passed couple of months." She smiled and soothed a hand over his shoulder. "He was dealt a bad hand, Kashi. You and the rest of his sensei and friends tried hard to protect him from it, but that kid has always been set on revenge, you knew that from the get go. Maybe it might not have happened this way, but it was always likely to happen."

"I was too late, Naruto was hurt."

"Sasuke may still be young, but he knew exactly what he was doing and still did it. Don't take his guilt from him."

"Hypocrite, at least I feel guilty over a student's actions, you feel guilty over a psychopath's actions."

Ume chuckled tightly. "Yeah well I'm learning."

Kakashi's head popped up and Ume moved quickly to a nearby chair, settling back nonchalantly as Kakashi finished tying his hitai-ate back around his forehead. A second later, Sakura burst into the room.

* * *

><p>"Ume."<p>

Ume looked up and met the Hokage's frank glance. Silently Tsunade passed a heavy intelligence scroll over to her, which Ume took and opened, an eyebrow cocked over a suspicious blue eye. A second later, the scroll hit the floor, rolling dramatically across the floor.

"I wouldn't normally do this... sicking a woman with a grudge on this target... It's asking for trouble, but I have a feeling that it would be impossible to keep this from you and I can't have you jeopardizing this mission for your grudge match."

"When?"

"Two days, to say your goodbyes and to assemble three teams of four ANBU. You will be leading them."

"You want info or do you want him dead."

"Both preferably, but if nothing else, intel is more important than your revenge."

"Understood." Ume was stone faced as she rose and went to exit the office.

"Ume."

Ume stopped but didn't turn around. "Yes, ma'am?"

"You don't have to do this, you can choose to pick another captain, Cat or Boar would be good choices to lead the mission. You don't have to throw away your life."

Ume tensed and let out a shrill giggle. "You want me to send twelve men to their deaths and you expect me to not lead them? That monster killed one of the most important people in my life and you expect to sit back and watch. You really don't know me very well, Madame Hokage."

"I know that Kakashi Hatake is in love with you and that you love him."

Ume shook her head. "That conversation has no place in this one." She paused, her head down. "Besides it's not-"

Tsunade shrugged. "Like that? You think I don't know what's going on in my own village, that I haven't seen the way you two are together? Or maybe you're just too stupid to see it... I doubt that though. I think that it scares you, knowing that you depend-"

"I came to the realization that my world ends with him some time ago, Lady Hokage." Ume still hadn't turned around or lifted her head.

"I think you underestimate his feelings then. You know how you'd feel if he died, but yet you're willing to let him suffer that."

Ume lifted her head and levelled Tsunade with a frank stare. "I'm not a civilian, Lady Tsunade, and even more relevant: I'm ANBU. Kakashi is more than aware of this."

"Yeah but that doesn't mean that you have to sign up for suicide missions."

A sad smile flitted over Ume's lips. "If that's what the village needs, then that is exactly what it means. I took an oath, Lady Tsunade; I pledged myself to my village _first_ and _above all_." She chuckled lightly. "There isn't a romance clause in my oath; no way of getting out of the deal because I fall in love. Whatever my village needs, that's what I pledged, and I won't go back on my word, period."

"And what about Kakashi?"

"I would spare him if I could, but if he knows like me I know he does, then he'll understand."

* * *

><p>"What the <em>fuck <em>do you think you're doing?"

Ume winced as Kakashi punched another hole in the wall to the left of her head. "Kashi-"

"No. Shut the fuck up, you don't get to speak. You'll most likely die, you're aware of that right?" She made to answer, but he cut her off. "Don't speak, the sound of your voice is pissing me off, now nod. Do you understand that you will die going after Orochimaru?"

She nodded.

"And you're aware that..." He paused, looking pensive. "I don't want you to die."

"I think that's pretty fucking obvious."

"I said: don't talk."

Ume glared at him and Kakashi sighed, his anger deflating in a sudden rush. Pulling his fist from her wall, Kakashi cradled the side of her face with his hand and caught and held her eyes.

"I thought we moved past this Ume. I thought you were learning to let it go."

Ume chuckled. "It's not just about him, Kakashi. My Hokage and my village need something and I am the best person for the job."

"There are other ANBU captains who could lead this mission, it doesn't have to be you... You don't have to die for him to honor his memory."

"I told you, Kashi, it isn't-"

"I don't believe you. Don't feed me the 'my village needs me' line. I've used it more time then I can count to justify a suicide mission that I had no business being on." Kakashi stroked him thumb along her jawline. "It doesn't have to be you."

"What the hell kind of leader would I be, Kakashi, if I sent my men to the slaughter and didn't join in the fray with them. I can't do that... I'm sorry, but I can't. They have families and loved ones too. Youcan't ask me to be that cruel."

Kakashi nodded and turned his head slightly ghosting his lips over her cheekbone. "When do you leave?"

"I have-" Ume paused and cleared her throat, her voice thick and sticky in her throat. "I have two days to assemble my team and say my goodbyes."

* * *

><p>Ume stopped abruptly and lifted a hand to stop the squads behind her. Silently, she motioned for everyone to spread out. Dropping into the under-brush, she searched for signs of an unaccounted-for chakra signal or a odd scent.<p>

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Ume felt a prickling on the back of her neck, her instincts firing off. She glanced back at Bull, who, catching her eyes, patted the bulge in his armor where the scroll was tucked safely against his chest.

"Let's keep going, we're half a day away from the village. No more breaks. I want to be there by sundown."

Ume shivered as the other ANBU captains took to the trees. As she leaped from the ground, she had the distinct thought that this had been too easy.

She perched in a tree and glanced at the waiting ANBU and moved forward only to sense movement from her left. She turned just as a Sound ninja collided with her side, re-breaking still-tender ribs.

She grunted and hit the ground hard, the Sound ninja's heavy frame forcing her harder into the ground. As their momentum stopped, Ume grabbed a kunai and stabbed him in the neck and stood, pushing his bleeding body to the side.

"AMBUSH!"

It seemed at first, that this to would be easy as her men kept a steady upper hand against the hordes of Sound ninja that seemed to pour from the surrounding forest. Ume stood in the midst of ten or eleven dead bodies and watched as Snake dispatched the last Sound ninja and counted heads No one was dead, thank God.

Suddenly a scream tore through the air and Ume paled as she turned to see the cause.

Orochimaru, arms in impeccable working order, was ripping through her men like wet paper, a sadistic smile focused in on her. She sensed Bull and a few other survivors step closer to her as Orochimaru turned to face her fully, his hands covered in dirt and blood.

"Weasel-chan, how nice to see you again."

Ume gritted her teeth and motioned silently for Bull to leave.

"Taichou."

"Go. Now."

Bull left and Ume prepared to intercept Orochimaru if he decided to give chase.

"Silly Weasel-chan." Orochimaru smiled indulgently. "What do I care for that scroll? Your man wouldn't be running with it if I hadn't all but handed it to you. No I wanted you to have it." He paused as if waiting for a response and didn't receive one. "I wanted to see if you would come for me, if I gave you a way to. You didn't disappoint. Though I will say that you and your men moved much faster than I anticipated. I was hoping to catch you before you reentered the Fire Nation but I suppose it wasn't to be."

Pulling out a kunai, Ume clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. The ANBU around her immediately spread out around Orochimaru and waited for her signal.

"Are you really planning to fight me?" Orochimaru laughed outright. "Surely you know how that will end."

"I don't care." With Ume charged Orochimaru only to be deflected easily.

She charged again as Orochimaru pulled his hand from Snake's gut. She managed to get closer this time, only to be batted away again as Orochimaru turned to end another of her men's lives. Eventually it was only her and Orochimaru. By that time she had collected a fine collection of bruises and he was still giggling like a fool, nary a wound on him. She threw a high-kick to his face and Orochimaru caught it, throwing her foot away from him roughly and then forcing her to the ground. He stood over her and tsked as she reached for a paper bomb.

Kicking her hand away, he smiled. "Uh-huh, you aren't allowed to die, Nagasaki-chan." He paused and bit into his thumb, performing a quick set of hand signs and then spreading the blood over his forearm. Ume watched in horror as he planted his hands a few feet away from her left shoulder and released the jutsu.

A second later, she screamed as Orochimaru's giant snake summon landed half on top of her, pinning and crushing the entire left side of her body.

"I think I will leave you like this, it'll make a nice present for your new Hokage. But first:" Orochimaru leaned over and took every weapon that was within her reach. "Got to make sure you don't kill yourself or destroy your body. Would ruin all my fun."

Ume cursed vilely and Orochimaru giggled. "Language, Nagasaki-chan."

He cackled and left, leaping from tree-to-tree and her vision began to fade in and out.

Her last thought was that this was one hell of a way to go, pinned under a giant snake.


	9. One

_**Just so you know I had this one written the night I posted the last chapter... I waited hoping more people would review! PLEASE REVIEW!**_

_**One**_

_Kakashi struggled not to smile under his mask, watching, stoic as possible, as Ume walked away from the academy, her new hitai-ate clutched in her raised fist._

_Asuma reached her first, slinging an arm enthusiastically around her shoulders and yanking her against his side. "Well, look at that, runt! Nine years old and already graduating. Takes after us, don't she, Wonder Boy?"_

_Kakashi gritted his teeth, glaring at the much bigger ten-year old. Asuma was over-compensating, trying to distract Ume so she didn't notice her parents' absence... he was also annoying._

_Ume smiled brighter, meeting Kakashi's eyes, and shrugged off Asuma's arms, before launching herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Kashi-kun! I'm a genin!" She started bouncing up and down, grabbing one of his hands. "I'm a ninja!"_

_Gai came up behind her and grabbed her by the waist, swinging her around. "Soon we'll both chuunin and then we'll go on missions together!" _

_Ume turned in his arms and grabbed his hands. _

_Kakashi shook his head as he watched them dance around, singing about becoming chuunins. "What happens if you have to battle each other in the last round of the Chuunin exams?"_

_They both stopped and stared at him, processing the question and then turned back to each other, almost simultaneously shouting: "Awesome taijutsu battle!"_

* * *

><p>"<em>Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, dear Hound-taichou. Happy Birthday to you." Ume landed lithely in his tree, her mask set firmly in place, holding a protein bar with a paper bomb-wick candle in her gloved hands. "Thought I forgot, didn't you?"<em>

"_I was hoping you would." Despite his grouchy tone, he took the protein bar and disposed of the wick._

"_I tried to smuggle in a cupcake, but Bull caught me and stole it." She dropped out of her crouch and wrapped her legs around the tree limb they were perched in. "So how does eighteen feel, you old foggie?"  
><em>

_Kakashi chuckled. "You'll know in a couple months, won't you?"_

_Ume nodded. "We'll go get dinner when we get back. Asuma suggested that miso place you like so much."  
><em>

_Kakashi nodded and munched on his new protein bar, his eyes on her as she exchanged words with Bull below her, presumably about her stolen cupcake. Eighteen... they were already eighteen. Studying the way she was moving, the way she was speaking to Bull, the way she filled out her uniform, he was struck by how different they were now._

_He was taller than her. After years of behind around the same height as her, he finally was significantly taller than her. She in turn had finally grown into her lanky frame, long gone were awkward knees and elbows, here now was lithe muscle and while she still wasn't graceful per say, her movements were strong and confident. _

_Her voice, high and squeaky when they were children, was raspy and while she still couldn't sing to save her life, he was rapidly finding that her voice affected him in ways that he had no right being affected._

_He shifted around in the tree, trying to find a position that would be more comfortable with his growing problem._

"_You keep shifting around like that, we'll both end up on the ground."_

_Kakashi looked up and caught Ume's blue eyes, the only part of her face that her mask couldn't cover. He thanked whatever deity applied for that small mercy._

"_Branch is digging into my ass."_

"_Sounds like a party."_

* * *

><p><em>Kakashi popped into Ume's apartment after her and watched as she broke all of the seals surrounding her ANBU uniform hiding spot.<em>

"_You gonna go home and get changed or are you just going to stare at me?"_

_Staring sounded good to him, especially as she pulled off her mask and stripped out of her armor and weapons. She paused and stared at him, a weird expression on her face. "What's your problem?"_

_He almost answered a terse 'I'm fine' when she began to pull her shirt over her head. Suddenly he forgot what question he was supposed to be answering._

_Now he had seen her in various states of undress over the last fourteen years, usually in order to dress some wound or another, but this was different._

_For some reason, he was hyper aware of her as her white cotton sports bra was revealed. He watched utterly fascinated as her shoulder blade glided under her pale skin. _

_When she turned to face him again, he sucked in a breath, staring down at her chest and her flat belly. He began to move towards her, almost stalking her as he removed both his ANBU mask and his cloth one under it._

"_What is up with you?" Ume looked concerned and she crossed her arms over her chest, pushing her breasts up and increasing what little cleavage she had. _

"_Nothing." Lie. A certain part of his anatomy was definitely up and wanted to know if she was as concerned with it as she was with his mental state. "I have a question for you." God his voice was deep._

"_What? Shoot."_

"_Have you ever been attracted to me?" He was in arm's reach of her now._

_She blushed. "What?"  
><em>

"_Have you ever been attracted to me?" He ghosted a hand over her shoulder. "You know, thought I was hot... wanted to know what touching me would be like..."_

_She shivered and in the deep reaches of his mind where his macho he-man lived, he felt a swell of masculine pride. She was reacting to him... only him._

"_I don't understand..."_

_He reached out and tugged her against his body, right up against his erection. He dropped a kiss on her neck and then tugged on her earlobe. "I want you, Ume... and I want to know if you want me too." He leaned back to look into her wide blue eyes. "Answer the question, Ume."_

_She nodded dimly, staring at his lips and his macho he-man stood up and roared._

"_Is that a yes, Ume?"_

"_Uh-huh." His mouth descended on hers almost violently. When he pulled, away she smiled with a small amount of uncertainty and led him towards her room._

"_Kashi?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_Have you ever done this before?"_

"_Nope, but I have read about it."_

_A nervous giggle. "I guess will have to figure this out together, huh?"_

_A nod and the rasp of a zipper being pulled down. "Yeah... God I'm looking forward to this."_

* * *

><p>Kakashi sighed and rubbed at the ache in his chest. God Ume...In the past twelve hours since Bull had shown up and then turned right around and assembled a rescue team, about a dozen memories had surfaced over and over again in his mind: the first time he had met Ume, the first time they had sex, <em>hell.. <em>any time they had had sex, the image of her naked body was imprinted permanently on his mind, her graduation, chuunin and jounin promotions, going with her to get her ANBU tattoo, every injury, minor or major, that they had stitched up for each other... every little thing he had done with her.

What was taking so long?

Asuma moved sharply from his place by the open window. "They're back!"

Kakashi was in the Hokage tower courtyard before anyone even responded. There cradled in Bull's beefy arms, swathed in her blood-stained white cloak, was Ume.

"Is she alive?"

"Barely, we need to get her to Lady Tsunade now."

Kakashi felt his chest constrict even as he let out a relieved sigh. Gently he transferred Ume from Bull's arm to his, noticing how limp her left arm and leg were.

"Kakashi! Bring her to the hospital intensive care unit! I'll meet you there."

* * *

><p>"You know she is very lucky." Tsunade sat heavily on the bench next to him.<p>

Kakashi snorted, not a damn thing about this situation defined what he considered to be lucky.

"She's alive."

"Barely." Kakashi considered Tsunade dryly with a cold eye. "Who's to say she will ever recover?"

"I do. Now are you ready to pull your head out of ass and hear what I have to say or do you want to doubt me some more?"

"Sorry, Lady Hokage, please continue." Kakashi rubbed a hand over his face.

"She's lucky that Orochimaru wanted her to die slowly." Tsunade considered him gravely. "We both know ANBU policy. She should've disposed of her body as soon as she knew that she wouldn't survive. But Orochimaru wanted her alive for some reason. According Bul, there wasn't a weapon within five feet of where she was pinned. All of her kunai and her katana were found stacked neatly on a tree stump some distance away. To add to that her paper bombs and left hand were pinned under the snake, she couldn't activate them or use any jutsu."

Kakashi nodded, not liking the way they were discussing Ume's near-death experiences. "She's alive because she couldn't kill herself and destroy her body, Orochimaru made sure of it." He suppressed a shiver, the thought of Ume not coming back, of not having anything to bury, just an empty black marble cube in a sea of mostly empty black marble cubes. "She is lucky." _I'm lucky._

Tsunade nodded. "Back to business: her left leg and arm are severely traumatized, half of the ribs on her left side are broken. She has a fever and pretty bad infection. I'm going to have to completely re-build that half of her body. "

Kakashi looked up at Tsunade. "Can you do it?"

Tsunade sighed and looked down at him with assessing eyes. "Yes, but it's not going to be fun. Fortunately, none of her vital organs were damaged and she hasn't gone into sceptic shock. But Kakashi, you really aren't going to want to see this. There is going to be a lot of blood-"

"I'm not leaving."

"Okay, then you need to get into scrubs and you need to wash your hands, we're going to start right away."

* * *

><p>Kakashi squeezed Ume's right hand lightly and winced as Tsunade pulled out yet another brilliant white bone fragment.<p>

Dropping it into the jar labelled 'Nagasaki: left knee,' She sighed and glanced at him. "That looks like all of it. Suction."

"What are you going to replace it with?"

"Standard total knee replacement made out of oxidized zirconium. Same with her ankle, then I will add some metal plates and bolts to her femur, tibia and fibula and that will do it for her leg. We'll operate on her arm tomorrow, it'll require a lot less to fix, probably just a plate or two and some rods to help her shoulder and elbow heal up right."

Kakashi nodded.

"When she comes around, just make sure you tell her you love her."

Kakashi lifted his head sharply and stared at her. "What?"

"You heard me." Tsunade paused as they prepared to insert the new knee and looked up at him again as Shizune wiped the sweat from her brow. "And encourage her to tell you that she loves you as well."

* * *

><p>Sher was pale and still and far too quiet. Her long blond hair was out of its ever present ponytail and had been drawn over her shoulder and braided loosely. There was a feeding tube and a respirator in her mouth, an IV in her arm and a heart monitor clipped to her finger.<p>

She looked small and fragile surrounded by the medical equipment that gave her the creeps and covered in bandages and plaster casts.

This was not _his_ Ume.

_His _Ume had always been a robust woman, long bones layered under lean muscle, with enough attitude and personality to make her very easy to notice. She was talkative and friendly with a bright, cheerful smile that he hadn't seen for four days now.

Four miserable, quiet, lonely days.

Could he really say that they had her back?

Kakashi shifted in the seat that he had parked his ass in two days ago directly after her surgery and sighed. Putting the kunai down on the edge of the bed next to him, he leaned over and picked up Ume's right hand and brought it to his lips.

What he wouldn't give to have her back.

Kakashi laid his head down on the bed and sighed, before jumping straight out of the chair he had been sitting in and staring at Ume. She began to thrash around, slowly at first, moving slightly one way or another and then more violently throwing her arm this way and that. Soon she was shaking the bed and screaming at the top of her lungs, the sound muffled by the respirator.

The smell of blood hitting his nose tore him out of his daze. She was ripping her stitches out.

Asuma rushed in, Gai right on his heels, just as Kakashi pinned Ume's good shoulder to the bed. "I thought she was in an induced coma?"

"She is. I don't know what's going on. Get the Hokage."

Tsunade rushed in not a moment later and quickly, checking every monitor and running every test, shouting orders. Soon Kakashi realized that Ume's lips were moving around her feeding tube.

"She trying to say something." He reached for the respirator when Tsunade stopped him.

"She's in a coma, Kakashi."

Kakashi glared at her. "She's trying to say something."

"Her mind is recreating the battle, its an unconscious reaction to the trauma."

"Well then she might be able to give us something to go on."

Tsunade's eyes were soft with sympathy. "You don't want to hear it, Kakashi. You think sleeping is hard now? You don't need to know."

* * *

><p>"She isn't going to appreciate this." Asuma sighed around his cigarette. "Ume hates genjutsu and would not react well to knowing that someone was fuckin' around in her mind."<p>

Tsunade nodded. "I realize that, but she's already had three of these episodes and the anesthesia isn't solving the problem and I can't keep stitching her back up. We need to put her under genjutsu and block those memories so she can heal properly. The genjutsu will probably wear off in five or six months, and by that time she should be well on the road to recovery."

"And when she figures out that we've all been lying to her for six months... What then?" Gai closed his eyes and swiped a hand over his face.

"Do it."

Everyone stared at Kakashi as he stared down at Ume's peaceful face.

Asuma cursed. "Are you sure?"

Kakashi nodded. "I'm her next of kin. Do it."

"Go get Kurenai."

"She's going to be pissed."

Kakashi nodded. "Yeah, but she'll be alive too."


	10. Two

_**Sorry for the wait... Thanks for the reviews though! This is really short and probably not all that great... sorry.**_

_**Two**_

"_Obito and Rin? Your teammates, huh?" Ume sulked and sipped at her tea. "Your teammates are better than mine."_

"_How so?" Kakashi glared into his tea. "You're teamed up with Ebisu and Seiichi Hyuuga."_

_Ume sniffed. "They're a bunch of jerks, but Obito's pretty cool, I hung out with him on occasion after all of my loser friends up and graduated on me."_

_Kakashi huffed. "You would hang out with Obito. Two peas in a pod."_

"_And he's kind of cute to boot!"_

_Kakashi swiveled towards her, glaring at her. "You think he's cute?" He made a face._

_She nodded. "With his dark hair and eyes, he's got the Uchiha good looks!" She nodded matter-of-factly. "But unlike other Uchiha's, he's not too serious or grumpy."_

"_The perfect man, then." Kakashi huffed and turned back to his tea._

"_What's your problem? You sure are grumpy today." Ume popped a sweet dumpling in her mouth and chewing thoughtfully, shrugged. "You're so serious all the time."_

"She looks so serious, huh?"

Kakashi looked up from the page he had supposedly reading and looked up at Bull, _Jun_... he wasn't in uniform. Kakashi huffed lightly and looked back at the still form of Ume. "I honestly cannot think of a single time in the last twenty-something years where I have gone this long without seeing her smile or say something stupid or pull some dumb prank."

"I remember this time when we were still in training and she threw a handful of fire crackers into the camp fire-"

Kakashi smiled under his mask, his eyes tracing Ume's profile. "Ibiki nearly killed her, his reaction was so violent."

Jun laughed. "She got the beating of her life when the old Bird-taichou heard about the incident."

Kakashi nodded and grew serious. "Thank you for bringing her home. Even if she had died... or if she never wakes up... thanks for bringing her home."

Jun nodded. "She's going to wake up."

"Even if she does, she'll be lucky if she is able to return to active duty, let alone Black Ops." Kakashi scoffed. "She's gonna end up on a desk and I don't know if that's going to end well. We both know that she isn't going to take being...useless... well."

"Ume's resilient. She'll find a way to keep herself busy." Asuma leaned into the room, the bag of take-out hanging from his hand.

Jun nodded. "Besides, can't they try the same thing they did for Gai's student?"

"They're going to try but she's twice Lee's age, her body no longer heals as quickly. Lady Tsunade isn't sure it will be as effective." Kakashi swiped a hand over his face. "She isn't sure Ume can survive the procedure."

* * *

><p>Her entire body hurt, so that left one of two options: mission gone awry or another binge drinking session with Anko. Ume moaned as she tried to lift an arm to wipe at her very crusty eyes, when her right arm didn't immediately respond, she tried her left only to realize that she couldn't really feel it. Through sheer force of will, she got her extraordinarily heavy left arm to lift out of the traction sling it was-<p>

Sling?

She let her arm fall back down, the slight movement causing a sensation not unlike stitches catching.

Stitches and slings...

She tried to squash a rising sense of panic... Mission gone awry it was then.

That meant she was in the hospital.

Suddenly she could feel everything, the IV plugged into her right arm, the hot scratchy feeling of gauze and plaster casting on her left side, her chapped lips open around a feeding tube and respirator.

Her eyes flipped open wide and she tracked the numerous tubes and wires from her body into the various machines crowded around her. She looked down at her left leg, also in traction, and her arm, trying to force a mind on the verge of full-blown panic to remember what happened to her.

There was a muffled grunt and some shuffling. A smudge of blue and green floated into her vision as Kakashi sprinted to the door. "Get the nurse! She's awake."

There was the sound of scrambling feet and Kakashi floated back in front of her just as she lifted her right hand to claw at the respirator covering her mouth and nose.

He caught her hand and pulled it away from "No, not yet. The nurse is coming, Ume. Just give it a couple minutes."

Ume shook her head and tore her hand from his grasp, trying to disconnect the suffocating respirator.

_I can't breathe!_

Asuma's face, followed shortly by Gai and Kurenai, floated into the tunnel of her vision. "You sure she's awake? Maybe she's having another episode."

_Episode?_

Kurenai glared at Asuma over her shoulder. "This is definitely not the same. She's lucid, so watch your mouth."

Suddenly everyone moved out of the way, their faces being replaced by Tsunade and Shizune.

"Hey Ume. If you can hear me nod your head." She nodded and there was an audible sigh in the room. "Good. We're going to take out your respirator and feeding tube, I need you to stay still."

It took thirty minutes, and somewhere between the dull scraping pain of a tube being removed from her throat and suffocating claustrophobia, she felt a gloved hand cover hers.

He was stuck between a rush of relief and a crushing sense of helplessness as he clutched her hand. She was panicked out of her mind, in an immense amount of pain given how she was wincing and groaning, disorientated and probably... hopefully... couldn't remember anything and there was nothing he could do to ease her.

He hadn't been able to stop her from going on a suicide mission, hadn't been able to save her, hadn't been able to ease her pain, hadn't been able to ease her fears.

What the hell was he good for anyway?

"Kashi." Her voice was rough and she sounded like she was in pain.

He looked up and met her eyes smiling softly. "How do you feel?"

Ume let out a little wheezing chuckle and squeezed his hand. "Like I got stuck under a large, somehow-mobile house... apartment complex..."

Kakashi chuckled and watched as Tsunade finished her tests and forced all of their rubbernecking friends from the room.

"I'm glad you're awake."

A weird looked crossed her pale face. "Was there a doubt?"

Kakashi shook his head. "I guess I'm just being dramatic."

"Kashi."

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad you're glad I'm awake."

"Always, Ume. Always."

* * *

><p>"I need to leave."<p>

"No."

"_Kashi._"

"No."

Ume huffed. "I'm going crazy!"

Kakashi kept his eyes on his page and his feet up on the corner of her hospital bed. "I brought you books... read them."

"I'm not reading your porn, Kashi. You read them enough for the both of us."

Kakashi sent her a hot look. "You've never complained before."

Ume sent the look right back. "That's 'cause you're usually doing something with all of that knowledge."

Kakashi hummed. "I could read it to you."

"No." Ume inspected her cuticles. "I have no desire to watch you blush and stutter your way through a sex scene."

Kakashi glowered at her.

Ume smiled at him. "Besides, we both know that you are afraid that you will break me, so you will be gettin' me all hot and bothered with no intention of actually doing anything about it."

Kakashi smiled. _It was good to hear her voice._


	11. Three

_**Sorry that this took so long...And I know it's not very long...I really didn't feel like people were reading it and so I let myself get distracted by another fanfic... I hope you can forgive me and review... let me know you are reading.**_

_**Three**_

"Are you sure that you're okay with this?" Ume huffed lightly as she hobbled herself into her apartment

Rolling his eyes, Kakahsi closed the door behind him and helped Ume ease herself onto the couch. He took the forearm crutch from her and set it off to the side before turning back to her. "I'm sure and you repeatedly asking me if it's really okay isn't going to make me change my mind." Kakashi strode into the kitchen and started a pot of tea. "Besides it's about damn time. We've been fuckin' for years."

Ume glowered at him. "That is true, but casual fuck-buddies do not good roommates necessarily make."

Kakashi glared at her. "We have never been casual, Ume. Not even when we were kids."

Ume blushed. "Don't be ridiculous-"

Kakashi scoffed and handed over her painkillers and a cup of water. "Casual fuck-buddies do not have ten-year relationships, especially not ten-year _mutually exclusive _relationships."

Ume went white and Kakashi suspected that it had nothing to do with her injuries. "Can you grab me some crackers? Those painkillers are killing my stomach, ach."

"Ume."

Ume looked up from beneath her eyelashes, but couldn't meet his eyes. He sighed and knelt in front of her, one hand on her good knee and the other pulling his mask down then reaching for her chin. "I spend 95% of my nights here anyways, so what's the difference?"

She shrugged and looked down at the heavy casting around her knee. "It's bad enough that I'm crippled, possibly permanently, I don't want to be a bother-"

"You're not a bother, Ume." Kakashi kissed her lightly and caught the look abject hopelessness cross her face. "You're not. If anything I'm bothering you, invading your space."

"You're giving up your privacy-"

Kakashi chuckled. "Like I said I spend 95% of my time with you and only you. Hell living with you will just make it easier to get in your pants when you're better."

"If-" Kakashi glared at her and stood as the tea kettle and Ume fell quiet. "Kashi... I'm just trying to be reasonable."

Kakashi came back with two cups of tea and sat next to her. "Let me be the reasonable one.." He grinned down at her. "You just be Ume."

Ume scoffed and shook her head. "I won't be able to handle the disappointment Kakashi... the_ uselessness_. If I ever truly recover, a big if... I will never be ANBU again. I will be... I can't be..." She huffed and turned suddenly watery eyes from him. She swiped at her eyes and breathed shakily before turning to him again. "I'm not best for you, Kakashi...You deserve so much more than I am ever going to be able to give you again. I am a crippled ex-ANBU who will most likely be living on my retirement pay for the rest of my life. You are an asset to this village and you don't need to be concerning yourself-"

Kakashi leaned over and kissed her deeply, one of his hands worked her hair out of it's ponytail and removed her hitai-ate, then cupped her jaw as his kiss became a little rougher and he growled into her mouth, demanding that she respond. When she did, he smiled against her mouth and pulled away.

"You forget that you've already come leaps and bounds in your recovery." Kakashi kissed her again lightly. "Even Lady Tsunade didn't think you'd be up and walking after a month and a half."

Ume huffed. "That doesn't mean-"

"Stop trying to run me off."

* * *

><p>Kakashi held the door open and let Ume into the Hokage's office ahead of him. Ume smiled shakily and made a bee line for a chair, handing Kakashi her crutch.<p>

Tsunade smiled and stood coming out from behind her desk. "You're looking good Ume, your balance is much better already. How's the pain?"

Ume grunted as she lifted her casted leg up so Kakashi could put an ottoman under her leg. "Arm feels okay, I guess. Knee still throbs, but not nearly as bad."

Tsunade loosened Ume's sling and slid it out from under her arm. "To be expected, I assure you. How often are you taking the pain meds?"

"Once a day at the most." Ume shrugged. "I try not to take them, don't like the way they make me feel, give me nightmares and screw with my stomach."

Kakashi grunted from behind her. "Trying to get her to take them is like pulling teeth."

Tsunade chuckled and palpated around Ume's knuckles. "If you can handle it, there's no reason to take them, but keep in mind that there is also no reason not to take them. So no need to suffer for nothing. How does that feel?"

She shrugged. "Does hurt all that much."

Tsunade nodded and grabbed a pen off the desk and ran it along her toes. "Feel that?" Ume nodded and Tsunade stepped back. "You really are healing rather well, Ume."

Ume nodded impatiently. "So... does that mean I can get the operation... the same one you used on Gai's student?"

"It's an option certainly, but you need to think about this." She spared Kakashi a glance. "Both of you. Ume, the chance that this procedure could end your life is immense, greater than with Lee."

Ume's brow furrowed. "Why?"

She shrugged. "You're older than him for one. Lee's body still heals relatively quickly because he's so young. You're twice his age and you stopped healing that quickly ten...fifteen years ago. On top of that, you're wounds, despite Gaara's destructive power, were much worse than Lee's, it wasn't just broken bones and severe bruising, it was bones over old, barely healed breaks, severe bruising, shredded muscle and completely shattered joints. You have more metal in your left leg than you have bone and there's no telling how that's going to react with the jutsus I would use."

Ume glanced at Kakashi. "So your saying that I shouldn't do it."

Tsunade sighed. "No. I'm saying that you should seriously consider every option, talk it over with Kakashi. You two really should consider settling down anyways, popping out a couple puppies."

Ume blushed. "Are you serious? Do I look like the motherly type? I would end up fuckin' the kid's head up."

* * *

><p>"What do you think?"<p>

Kakashi sighed. "No."

"No what?" Ume looked at him, pleading for him to let her do this, to take this risk. "I will not spend my life crippled and useless!"

"No."

Ume cussed and struggled out of her shirt, bearing the long, jagged scars running from shoulder down her arm. "Look at me, Kakashi. I am broken, ugly."

Kakashi struggled to keep calm. "The procedure won't help with the scars, Ume."

"How can you want to keep me like this? What is so appealing about my broken, scarred body, Kakashi?" She blinked back tears. "Why won't you let me heal?"

Kakashi lost his temper. Blowing up, he stomped toward her and towered over her. "You are alive! And that is all that matters! I don't care if I have to push you around in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. You are alive! And I will do whatever it takes to keep you that way for as long as possible." He put a hand to her cheek and ran a thumb over her cheekbone. "You want to risk your life over something that doesn't matter to me, do it but I need you to understand that as long as you are alive, I can bear anything."

Tears were running unchecked down her face now. "What if I can't?"

He kissed her. "I will bear it for you."


	12. Four

_**I'm sorry this always takes so long... But thanks for all the reviews!**_

_**Enjoy**_

_**Four**_

Her steps were surer now, steady, used to the weight of the braces and only faltering when the they pinched unexpectedly. She stood straighter and smiled more, meeting people's eyes with pride.

Ume.. _His_ Ume was back.

Kakashi smiled under his mask as she swung herself carefully onto a barstool next to Naruto and Lee.

"G'Morning, boys."

Naruto grinned back ("Morning, Ume-sempai") and Lee gave an enthusiastic salute. "Good Morning, Nagasaki-sempai!"

Ume waved Lee off. "You don't have to call me by my last name, Lee. Ume is just fine."

"But you are one of my idols!" Lee clenched his hands in front of his face and gazed at her. "You are so resilient and so strong! And Gai-sensei says you can even get the best of him in fair one-on-one taijutsu battle!"

Ume shrugged. "I've gotten him once or twice, but that was before I picked a fight with a boulder and lost. I don't think I could take an academy student right now."

Naruto looked past her and regarded his sensei. "Kakashi-sensei, when are we going to start training again?"

"Soon, Ume's going to be joining us."

Naruto brightened immediately and Lee began to gush about how lucky Naruto was.

Ume shook her head. "We'll see how long I last anyways. Haven't done anything but strength training and rehab in months." Ume smiled and reached over Naruto to pat Lee on the back. "Besides I have it on good authority that when I've built up my strength and endurance, you are my next challenge."

Lee's grew large and he smiled brightly. "Really?"

"Yep. Naruto's shadow clones are going to get me back in shape then I'm going to need your speed to build up my own speed."

Lee jumped off his barstool and cheered.

* * *

><p>Ume put her head down, huffing roughly.<p>

"You did well for your first day of training in four months." Kakashi passed her a bottle of water and held out a small white pill.

Ume took the water and waved away the pill. "Don't want it."

Kakashi sighed and pulled an orange bottle from his pocket. "Take one with water when needed..."

"Don't need it."

"...Or after strenuous exercise." He passed her the pill again. "Take it or I make you take it."

Ume groused, glowering at him. "They screw with my head. I ain't takin' it."

Kakashi sighed and crouched in front of her. "Remember that conversation about me taking care of you."

She sent him a cheeky grin. "Already have a dad, Kashi... don't need another one, or more pain pills."

"Your dad is a jackass, so it's up to me to make sure you take the pills that _Lady Tsunade_, your _Hokage_ ordered you to take." He grabbed her hand and forced the pill into her palm. "Take it. or else."

Ume huffed. "Fine, but I'm waking you up when the nightmares wake me up."

Kakashi nodded and sat next to her. "I wake up anyways."

Ume leaned against his shoulder and fiddled with her elbow brace. "Sorry."

Kakashi chuckled. "Nothing to worry about."

"They feel so real."

Kakashi lay back and folded his hands under his head, knowing that if she wanted to elaborate she would.

"I can feel the rock moving on me... but not rolling... it's wriggling... or... well I don't know what else." She smiled lightly, but her eyes were wide and confused. "I can hear someone _cackling_... calling me Weasel-chan but I open my eyes and everyone is dead."

She shrugged, turned towards him, and, catching his expression, frowned. "What's wrong?"

He forced himself to shrug, forced himself to look nonchalant as he ran a hand over her shoulder. "That sounds...odd."

She shrugged and smiled. "I've had weirder."

_Shit._ "Recently?" He studied her face as she shook her head.

"Naw... I've been dreaming the same thing for like three months or something..."

"Three months?"

She looked hard at him. "Yeah. What of it?"

"Just a long time." Kakashi shrugged again. "Long time not to say anything."

"Why bother you with it? I already wake you up to often."

_Here we go again._ "You have to let me take care of you." Kakashi rubbed a hand over his face and geared up for the fight to come. Ume hated these conversations.

"Why? I'm tired of being an invalid." Ume shuffled a little bit, trying to get comfortable. She fidgeted, loosening her knee brace and Kakashi sighed.

"You're not an invalid, you were never an invalid."

She cast a look at him, then loosened her arm brace, sitting up and tucking her arm against her side.

"You just finished a four hour training session. I'm pretty sure that makes you not an invalid."

"With a bunch of genins... real impressive."

"Neither Sakura or Naruto are normal genins and you more than held your own."

Ume smiled. "Sakura's a bright one surely and Naruto has always impressed me. He works so hard, one day, that's going to pay off."

Kakashi nodded. "You've been off your feet for four months, but you were still running circles around Naruto."

Ume chuckled. "He's easy to read, once he started working through his moves like he did during the Chuunin exams, he was hard to keep up with. He's gonna be formidable when he starts taking things seriously." She smiled down at him. "I'd like to be there to see that."

"It'd surely be a sight."

* * *

><p>Kakashi fought down the urge to run to the Hokage's office. "I have to run a couple errands, I'll bring back dinner."<p>

Ume looked up and arched a suspicious eyebrow. She shrugged and lifted her left leg by the knee, using Bull's massive back as elevation. She glanced at him again and began to undo her knee brace. "What you getting?"

"Tempura?"

She nodded and looked briefly suspicious, before turning to undo her elbow brace. Pakkun passed her the linen wraps she wore at night. He made a face.

Ume laughed and ruffled the dog's head, ignoring the dog's mumbles. "Can you pick me up some wraps? These are starting to stink."

He pulled his mask down and kissed her deeply. "Can do."

He left the apartment and attempted to be calm. The minute the door closed behind him, he paused and listened to Ume argue with Pakkun through the door. He wiped a hand over his face and flashed to the Hokage's office.

"She remembers."

Tsunade glanced up from the medical text on her desk. "Who remembers what?"

"Ume's been having dreams about the Orochimaru incident for three months." Kakashi sat heavily down in a chair in front of Tsunade's desk. "She said she could remember someone call her Weasel-chan and looking around and seeing everyone around her dead."

"Dreams or hallucinations?" Tsunade regarded him calmly.

"Dreams."

"Dreams are normal, especially on the pain medications she's been on, genjutsu can't repress everything, it can only repress the conscious thought process and mask the memory. She starts to hallucinate or consciously question the version of events we told her, you tell me.

Kakashi sighed. "There's nothing you can do?"

Tsunade sighed and favored Kakashi with a compassionate look. "This wasn't supposed to be forever, Kakashi, it was only to be long enough for her to heal physically. I can prescribe a weaker pain med, she's due for a dosage reduction anyways."

"Okay." Kakashi stood. "I guess that'll work for now."

"When she comes in for her assessment, we'll talk about the pain killers."

Kakashi nodded.

* * *

><p>Kakashi set the bags down lightly on the counter in the kitchen and smiled. Ume was sleeping, Pakkun curled up on her stomach, one of Ume's hands resting lightly on Bull's muscled back. First Bull lifted his heavy head, then Pakkun uncurled himself from Ume's lap.<p>

"We kept your woman safe for you, boss." Pakkun jumped down from the couch and padded over to him.

"Thanks."

"Kashi?"

"Got the tempura... you hungry?"


	13. Five

_**Last Chapter! I'm sorry it took so long for this story to end, or rather for me to write this story, but all of your reviews were appreciated!**_

_**Read and review and I might just publish a one-shot!**_

_**Five**_

Ume sunk deeper into her taijutsu form, refusing to allow Gai's always impressive show of power to rattle her into acting too quickly.

"Good day, my eternal rival!"

Ume cast a quick look over her shoulder at the rock where Kakashi was seating himself next to her new lightweight braces. That quick moment of inattention almost gifted her with a face-full of raw Maito Gai power and nearly cost her the match. Snapping back into reality, Ume dodged quickly and aimed a heavy punch to Gai's solar plexus. Gai curled over his side and paused just long enough for Ume to pull her left arm back and deliver a quick left jab to his jaw.

Gai lept back grinning like a fool and rubbing his chin. "Ume, I do believe the power of youth has returned to you."

Ume laughed. "I'm afraid it's a bit late for the power of youth, Gai. I would just be content settling for power at this moment."

Gai hooked an arm around her neck, pulling her into an exuberant hug. "The power of your will has overcome the tremendous adversity of your injuries!"

Ume smiled. "Yeah, yeah. Thanks for sparring with me, Gai. However, it's time for my ninjutsu lesson with Hatake-sensei and he's been waiting so patiently."

Gai smiled. "Never mind, my eternal rival can have you all to himself! I must go meet my students!"

And with a grand flourish and a poof of smoke, Gai was gone.

Ume smiled. "You should've been there this morning, Kashi. I woke up to the smell of coffee and I thought you might've gotten back earlier. So I come out of the bedroom in nothing but the underwear I slept in and one of your old shirts, one of the ones from when we were kids... the ones that haven't fit you in years." She paused and dissolved into laughter, snorting in between shaky breaths. "I've never seen Gai so red! He _stuttered_ like 'Good morning' or maybe something about the power of youth in the morning, I don't know 'cause I rushed back into the bedroom to change. He wouldn't look me in the eye until maybe halfway through the breakfast _he_ cooked me! It was hilarious." Ume paused again and doubled over. "Priceless."

Kakashi watched, smiling slightly under his mask. "I should break his nose."

Ume cast him a dubious look. "Oh, really? Never took you for the jealous type."

Kakashi shrugged. "Never been asked to share before."

Ume shook her head and straightened dramatically. "Anyways, lead on Hatake-sensei."

"You know you damn well you don't need any lessons, figured you wanted to spar." he pushed himself up from the rock, straightening his hitai-ate and opening his sharingan.

"Ooh... serious." Ume chuckled.

Kakashi shrugged. "I know better than to underestimate you. Injured or not."

Ume smiled and they began.

* * *

><p>She was slowing, having reached the end of what her newly healed body could endure. Even though she knew she was at the end of her rope and he had just barely started sweating, she let out a quick, right jab only to be caught with little to no effort. Kakashi chuckled and caught her left fist when it came flying. "I thought this was a ninjutsu round. And here you are using taijutsu."<p>

"Gotta do what I have to to win, you know." She smiled and aimed to knee Kakashi in the stomach. A second later she was up against a tree, Kakashi's bare lips against hers and her hands pinned above her head.

She broke away, breathing heavily, as his lips trailed down her neck. "Talk about fighting dirty."

Kakashi chuckled and, after transferring both of her hands into one of his, unzipped her flack vest. "Gotta do what you have to do to win, you know."

Ume giggled. "Uh-huh. I do know."

Kakashi smiled as his lips found hers again, releasing her hands in favor of running his under her shirt and lifting her up against the tree. Her hands shoved through his hair, tugging his lips from hers just long enough to ask: "What time is it?"

Kakashi grunted, shrugging as he unbuttoned her pants.

Ume started digging through her utility pockets, still managing to stay connected to Kakashi's mouth. Finding her pocket watch, she tore her lips away, she cussed. "I have to go it's time for-"

"Your physical therapy session." Kakashi sighed and leaned his forehead against hers.

Ume chuckled and reached down to rebutton her pants and zip up her flack vest. "And you almost got laid, too."

Kakashi smiled and adjusted his mask over his face. "There's always tonight."

Ume nodded. "Indeed."

* * *

><p>"Hey Brat."<p>

Ume rolled her eyes as she left the hospital. "Hey Jerk."

Asuma smiled and slung the arm that wasn't currently holding his cigarette around Ume's shoulders. "How was physical therapy?"

"You mean that torture Lady Tsunade calls therapy?" Ume sighed. "It was a blasty-blast, y'know, I totally enjoy having my limbs and joints abused, poked and tugged on. It's wonderful."

Asuma laughed. "Yeah, well. What can you do?"

"Not a damn thing."

Asuma took a long drag on his cigarette. "So what are you doing tonight?"

Ume eyed him. "Funny you should ask, your girlfriend and Anko _insisted_ that I have dinner and go out for drinks tonight, just us girls, totally ruining, of course, what Kakashi had planned for tonight."

"She's not my girlfriend." Asuma glared at her. "What did Kakashi have planned?"

Ume smirked. "She is, too. And what do you think _Kakashi_ had planned for _tonight_?"

Asuma blushed. "Nevermind, it probably involved weird, kinky shit."

"Probably." Ume nodded thoughtfully. "Though he likes regular sex just as much."

"Too much fuckin' information!"

* * *

><p>Ume smiled and let herself into the apartment. Still pleasantly buzzed, she smiled flirtatiously at Kakashi. "Honey, I'm home!"<p>

Kakashi chuckled. "I see that."

She sauntered over to him and straddled his lap. "Told ya, I'd get home with plenty of time left for whatever you had planned."

Kakashi unzipped her flack vest and pulled down his mask. "Good to know."

She kissed him quickly and stood. "I am going to go take a shower first."

"Good, you smell."

* * *

><p>Ume rested her forehead against the warm shower tiles, just letting the warm water soothe her aching muscles. It had been six months since the accident and against all odds, she was mostly healed. Sure she needed to get stronger, but she was getting better each day. At this rate she might even be able to return to active duty.<p>

Which was good, how embarrassing would it have been if she let a little thing like a rock slide end her career.

_Click_

Rock slide?

No that wasn't quite right.

Had it really been a rock slide?

Why couldn't she remember?

...No it wasn't a rock slide. Whatever had crushed the left side of her body had been alive. She could still feel it moving over her, each sliding motion causing more pain.

What was it?

Why couldn't she remember?

_Click_

A snake. That's what it had been. But how had a giant snake gotten on top of her? That was just weird. Rock slide made more sense.

Orochimaru.

Suddenly, she remembered everything. The battle, the snake, Orochimaru's taunting laughter.

_They had lied to her._ Everyone for the last six months had been lying to her.

_Even Kakashi._

She couldn't breathe, flooding her mind, were images of her dead men. Ape, Snake, Hound, the newest ANBU to wear Kakashi's old mask. So many dead.

As calmly as she could manage, she turned the water off and got dressed.

Walking out of their bedroom, Ume came face to face with all of the people who pretended to love her. They must have known the genjutsu was going to break today, that's why she hadn't been alone all day.

"You lied to me. All of you."

The reactions on their faces differed. Asuma and Gai looked guilty, Anko was uncomfortable but ultimately unremorseful, Kurenai and Tsunade wore matching looks of unflinching resolve, and Kakashi... Kakashi didn't look the least bit sorry.

"We did what we had to."

Ume glared at Kakashi. "You _had_ to lie to me?"

Kakashi didn't flinch. "Yes, in order to give you time to heal, we had to lie to you."

Ume turned to Kurenai. "You fucked around in my brain, you took my memories."

"I hid them, and we had to."

"You didn't have to fuckin' do anything! You just had to leave me the fuck alone!" Ume was trembling.

"You were having episodes, where you were reliving the battle subconsciously. We had to hide those memories so you wouldn't continue to tear yourself apart. You needed to heal." Tsunade's voice was flat, allowing for no arguments.

"I needed to mourn my fallen comrades!" Ume was crying now, something the Kakashi saw only rarely, even at her lowest, after the Third's death, she hadn't cried. "This entire time I didn't know why ANBU were avoiding me, I thought they were ashamed of me because I was useless now, come to find out that they probably hate me for not mourning my men. They probably think I have forgotten them."

"They haven't had any contact with you because I forbid them to. I couldn't have them setting off your memories and undoing all the hard work we did."

Ume rounded on Gai and Asuma, ready to give them an earful when Kakashi spoke up. "Don't get angry with them._ I_ authorized it,_ I _am your next-of-kin, and_ I_ told Kurenai and Lady Tsunade to do it."

"Why?"

Her voice was so small, so lost that he almost relented, almost apologized, even though he didn't in the least regret what he did.

"Because I would do anything to keep you alive and well."

Ume wiped furiously at her eyes. "What did I have left, Kashi? I have no career, no purpose, nothing but a broken body and memories."

"You have us, Brat. Don't forget."

Ume chuckled listlessly. "I have shame and guilt and failure. I should have sent flowers to their families, should have burned incense on their graves."

Tsunade stood. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. You are one of the best kuniochi in this village. You are strong and dependable, willing to sacrifice your life and your happiness for this village. You are a hero and your men believed that and the rest of ANBU believe that."

"What if that isn't enough? What if I can't live off of that?"

"Then count your blessings, you're lucky to be alive."

"Some blessings. I'm useless, broken."

Kakashi stood as well, stepping up to her. "Count my blessings then. You are here and you are alive."

* * *

><p>"Are you sure about this?"<p>

"If I have said it once I have said it a thousand times. You are the only person for the job."

Ume breathed deep and turned to Kakashi. "Okay let's do this."

Kakashi nodded and opened the door, allowing Lady Tsunade and Ume in before him.

Lady Tsunade took her seat on the dais. "I have made a decision. Nagasaki Ume is now the Commander of ANBU Black-Ops. Due to her injuries she won't be able to go on missions, but she will be able to handle all of the tactical and operational planning. You all report to her and she reports to me."

There was silence, until Ibiki Morino took a step toward her. Holding out a hand, he smiled at her. "Glad to have someone else to blame when things go wrong."

Ume shook his hand, chuckling. "Glad I won't be the only desk jockey."

Then almost simultaneously, every masked and cloaked ANBU in the room bowed.

It was good to be back.


End file.
